Xtra Time Web Desk: It was a Super Sunday as for the first time in the history of IPL; there were three Super Overs in a single day. After Kolkata Knight Riders edged out Sunrisers Hyderabad in Super Over at Abu Dhabi, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) triumphed over Mumbai Indians (MI) in a second Super Over after both the match and the first Super Over were tied for the first time in an IPL match.
MI, batting first, scored 176/6 in 20 overs. KXIP had a run out off the last ball to take the match into a Super Over. Quinton de Kock scored his third half-century in five matches and Kieron Pollard and Nathan Coulter Nile added 54 runs in the last three overs for MI. KL Rahul led KXIP’s chase, till there was a run out off the last ball of the 20th over to take the game into a Super Over. There was a run out off the last ball of the Super Over too, with both teams scoring 5, and there was a second Super Over. Mayank Agarwal hit the winning runs for KXIP in the second tie-breaker.
Kings XI Punjab are now involved in two Super Overs in this IPL, first the one against Delhi Capitals which they lost and Sunday’s game against Mumbai Indians.
“Yeah okay. It is not the first time. But we don’t want to make a habit out of it. We will take the two points in the end. It doesn’t always happen the way you plan so you don’t really know how to stay balanced. I was just hoping we get over the line because the boys have been working really really hard. In the games that we have lost, even then we have played well and just not been able to get over the line,” said Rahul during the post match presentation ceremony.
Md Shami has been brilliant with the ball restricting de Kock and Rohit for just 5 runs to push the match to another Super Over. Talking about the performance of Shami, Rahul said, “You can never prepare for Super Overs. No team does. So you have to trust your bowler’s gut. You trust your bowler, and let them believe their instinct and gut. He was very clear he wanted to go six yorkers. He has been phenomenal, and keeps getting better every game.”
Kings XI Punjab now joins Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals on points table. All the four teams have six points each. On being asked if he is eyeing a playoff spot, Rahul said, “It is important that senior players win the games for the team. We still want to take it one game at a time. It is sweet after the kind of matches we have lost but the talk in the dressing room is to focus on the process. We know we need to win everything from here, but we can’t forget the processes that lead to a win.”