IPL 2019 Match 4 highlights: KXIP win by 14 runs; Ashwin sparks controversy
Chris Gayle struck a belligerent half-century to guide Kings XI Punjab to a challenging 184 for four against Rajasthan Royals.
 "IPL 2019, Chris Gayle")
Chris Gayle. Photo: PTI
In the match 4 of VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), Chris Gayle hit a belligerent half-century as Kings XI Punjab registered a convincing 14-run win over Rajasthan Royals in a controversial match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday. Opening the innings, Gayle started in an uncharacteristic fashion but grew in confidence as the innings progressed and helped Kings XI post a challenging 184 for four after being sent into bat.
IPL 2019, Match 4: RR vs KXIP full scorecard
Gayle scored 79 off 47 balls and hit eight boundaries and four sixes in the process. Besides Gayle, young Sarfaraz Khan (46 not out off 29 balls) also played a good hand.
Chasing the stiff target, Jos Buttler (69) and skipper Ajinkya Rahane (27) got Rajasthan off to a brisk start, dealing in boundaries and sixes to pile up 64 runs in the first six overs of powerplay.
Buttler, in particular, looked in a destructive mood as he didn't spare a single Kings XI bowler and struck eight boundaries and two hits over the fence to notch up his fifty in just 29 balls.
Buttler and Rahane shared 78 runs in eight overs for the opening stand before the Rajasthan skipper was cleaned up by his Kings XI counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin.
Buttler was going strong in the company of Sanju Samson (30) as they duo batted sensibly to keep Rajasthan in the hunt.
But just when it seemed Kings XI were running out of ideas, skipper Ashwin did the unthinkable as Buttler became the first victim of 'Mankading' in the history of IPL.
A desperate Ashwin mankaded Buttler in controversial circumstances in the 13th over with Rajasthan scoreboard reading 108 for two.
At that stage Buttler was going strong at 69 off 43 balls. The dismissal is sure to raise fresh debate over the spirit of the game as Ashwin didn't give the Englishman a prior warning.
As expected Buttler seemed furious and had a heated exchange with Ashwin before leaving the field after the third umpire ruled him out.
That dismissal completely changed the complexion of the match in favour of Kings XI as Steve Smith (20), Samson, Ben Stokes and Rahul Tripathy departed in quick succession in search of quick runs.
From there on, it proved to be an uphill task for Rajasthan as they needed 27 off the last two overs with six wickets down.
Earlier, Rajasthan's decision to bowl first on a two-paced wicket was bang on target as K L Rahul lasted just four balls before edging an outgoing Dhawal Kulkarni delivery to wicketkeeper Buttler, who took a brilliant one-handed catch.
Gayle and Mayank Agarwal (22) then struggled to hit big shots against Kings XI's disciplined bowling as they garnered just 32 runs in the powerplay overs.
The dou finally broke their shackles, hitting Jaydev Unadkat for a four and six to yield 13 runs of the bowler's opening over.
Gayle then opened up his arms again and hit Krishnappa Gowtham for a maximum in the first ball of the ninth over.
But Gowtham broke the 54-run stand between Gayle and Agarwal after the latter was holed out a long-off by Kulkarni.
Brought back into the attack in the 12th over, Unadkat was taken to the cleaners by Gayle as he hit the left-arm pacer for three consecutive fours and then a straight six over the bowler's head to bring up his fifty in 33 balls.
Unadkat's second over, that produced 17 runs, opened the floodgates for Kings XI as Sarfaraz too joined the party and together with Gayle punished the bad deliveries.
After playing cautiously initially, Gayle went on a rampage, stood on his crease and clobbered Stokes (2/48) for two boundaries and six before being holed out at midwicket fence by Tripathi in the fifth ball of the same over.
Gayle and Sarfaraz added 84 runs for the third wicket and in the process gave Kings XI the much-needed momentum.
After Gayle's dismissal, Sarfaraz took the onus on himself and took Kings XI past the 180-run mark.
KXIP beat RR by 14 runs
Over 20;
Ankit Rajpoot [3.0-0-27-0] is back into the attack and Jaydev gets a top edge as Rajpoot takes the catch but collides head on with wicket-keeper. Shreyas Gopal, right handed bat, comes to the crease. Gowtham holed the 2nd ball to mid-on. Dhawal Kulkarni, right handed bat, comes to the crease.Shreyas Gopal hits the 3rd ball to long-on for a single. DOT.. Kulkarni hits the 5th ball for FOUR and a single to end the over.
Over 19; 21 runs needed in 6 balls
Mohammed Shami [3.0-0-27-0] is back into the attack and Gowtham picks a couple of runs off the first ball as Shami missed a runout chance at non-striker end. Gowtham squeezed the yorker to backward point for a single. Archer squeezed the yorker for a couple of runs off the 4th ball. Archer RUNOUT as he tries to run a bye. Jaydev Unadkat, right handed bat, comes to the crease and hits the first ball to long-on for a single.
Over 18; Rajasthan need 27 runs in 12 balls
Mujeeb Ur Rahman [3.0-0-23-0] is back into the attack and Tripathi takes a single off the first ball. Ben Stokes dispatches the 2nd ball to long-on boundary. Stokes OUT as he tries to hit another biggie. Stokes c (sub)Nair b Mujeeb 6(2) [6s-1]. Krishnappa Gowtham, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Tripathi fails to score off the 4th , WIDE... DOT and Tripathi gone while trying to hit a big shot but holed it to long-on.
Over 17; CRR: 8.82 REQ: 11.67
Sam Curran continues and a huge appeal for caught behind but umpire says NO. Another loud appeal this time for LBW, umpire again says NO But this time Ashwin takes REVIEW, replays shows bottom edge, KXIP lost their review. Samson picks a single off the 3rd ball to long-off. Rahul takes a SCREAMER as Smith sliced the 4th ball to deep extra-cover. Smith c Rahul b Sam Curran 19(16) [4s-1 6s-1]. Ben Stokes, left handed bat, comes to the crease but he is at non-striker end as Smith crossed. Samson picks a couple of runs off the 5th ball. Samson OUT off the last ball.
Over 16; CRR: 9.12 REQ: 9.75
Mohammed Shami [2.0-0-16-0] is back into the attack and Smith takes a single off the first ball. Samson plays an extended extra-cover drive for a flat SIX follows by a single to backward square leg. Smith takes a single off the 4th ball. Samason flicks the 5th ball to backward square leg for a single. Smith squeezed the yorker to long-on for a single to end the over
Over 15; CRR: 9.03 REQ: 9.87
Sam Curran [2.0-0-31-0] is back into the attack and Samson picks a couple of runs off the first ball follows by a single long-on. Smith drives the 3rd ball to point region for a couple of runs and plays a slog sweep to square leg for FOUR. WIDE... Smith whips the 5th ball to square leg boundary for SIX follows by a single to end the over.
Over 14
Over 13; Buttler runout
Ashwin continues and Buttler takes a single off the first ball. DOT.. Samson takes a single off the 3rd ball as a top-edge lands in noman land. DOT.. Buttler RUNOUT as he is backing up too far. Ashwin and Buttler are having a heated argument and replays show he's clearly out of the crease. Steven Smith, right handed bat, comes to the crease and Samson picks a couple of runs off the last ball.
Over 12; CRR: 8.75 REQ: 10
Mujeeb Ur Rahman [2.0-0-17-0] is back into the attack and Samson takes a single off the first ball. Buttler picks a single to long-on. A couple of runs for Samson off the 3rd ball. DOT... Samson takes a single off the 5th ball to short third man. A single for Buttler to end the over.
Over 11; CRR: 9 REQ: 9.56
Ashwin continues and Samson picks a single off the first ball. Buttler takes a single off the 5th ball after playing 3 DOTs. A single for Samson to end the over.
Over 10; CRR: 9.54 REQ: 8.95
Rajpoot continues and Samson drives the first ball to long-on for a single. Buttler scoops the 2nd ball over keeper for FOUR. Buttler muscles the 3rd ball to cover boundary for FOUR. follows by a couple of runs towards deep extra-cover. Buttler squeezed the yorker to cover for a single. Samson clips the last ball to square leg for a single.
Over 8; Ashwin castles Rahane
Ashwin continues and cleans up Rahane off the first ball. Sanju Samson, right handed bat, comes to the crease and picks a single to mid-wicket. Buttler takes a single off the 3rd ball to point. A single for Samson off the 4th ball. Buttler picks a single off the 5th ball. A single for Samson to end the over.
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First Published: Mar 25 2019 | 5:50 PM IST
