The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League is getting more and more interesting with each passing day. Many new players of domestic-circuit origins have been introduced in this edition, reaffirming IPL’s status as a stepping stone for domestic talent seeking glory in the national arena. The IPL has been a melting pot of cricketing talent as well as of entertainment and glamour. It is something of a yearly carnival that witnesses the participation of famous cricketers from all around the world. It not only builds a close relationship between the cricketers that transcends boundaries and preserves the spirit of the game, but it also creates a platform where they build trust and talent together.
In an instance of a great partnership between Indian and international cricketers, West Indian batting ace Chris Gayle and Indian southpaw Mayank Aggarwal took Kings XI Punjab to a fantastic win in a historical match against Mumbai Indians on October, 19, 2020.
Seldom does it happen that the scores are tied at the end of the regular 20 overs and the end of the first Super Over too. Yet this rare happening occurred in the Mumbai Indian vs Kings XI Punjab Match, which saw Gayle and Agarwal score a total of 15 runs in the second Super Over to clinch the match in their favour.
Agarwal, who was the lone defender of the crease before Gayle joined him in the second Super Over, was greatly complimented by him and went ahead to score back- to-back fours after Chris hit his first ball for a six. The two made up for the falling run rate in the previous Super Over that accounted for only five runs while costing Kings XI Punjab two crucial wickets. Ace Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah got rid of Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul with a yorker.
With the Kings’ XI chase falling behind, Gayle and Agarwal partnered up at the right time. Clearly reading each other well, they rotated the strike not only to amass 15 runs between them but also to deliver a great win for Kings’ XI Punjab that kept the team’s playoff dreams alive.
Agarwal was a revelation in the October 19 match as he donned the cap of an allrounder and helped his team restrict the defending champions with his excellent fielding abilities.
From the Mumbai Indians’ side, Quinton de Kock performed well with the bat by scoring a half-century, making up for a terrible start that the team faced. A crucial partnership between Kieran Pollard and Coulter-Nile added 54 runs to the final total despite the team’s failings. The match would have favoured Kings XI Punjab if the ball had not fallen in Bumrah’s court to put hurdles on Kings’ XI winning path.
It took two Super Overs and a short but brilliant partnership between Gayle and Agarwal to clinch the close game. The Kings XI Punjab now has six points from nine games.
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