KL Rahul led Punjab Kings showed immense fighting spirit as they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets to register their fifth win in the tournament. Punjab Kings are now sitting at 5th position, having won 10 points from 12 matches. Despite the loss, KKR stayed at the fourth spot and their biggest positive is their net run rate.
The luck wasn’t favoring Kolkata Knight Riders as they let themselves down with poor fielding many times during the match. In fact, both the Punjab Kings openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (40 off 27 balls) were dropped. Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul once again gave a brilliant opening performance with a solid 7-run stand.
Punjab Kings’ skipper KL Rahul played yet another amazing knock to take his team close to the finishing line. He was dismissed in the final over of the innings with Punjab still needing four off four. Earlier, KL Rahul was given out amidst all the drama after his catch was taken superbly in the deep by KKR’s Rahul Tripathi but the umpire thought otherwise.
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) October 1, 2021
KL scored a stunning 67 runs off 55 balls, knocking off a 166-run target with three balls to spare. Shahrukh produced an impactful 9-ball 22-run knock when it mattered the most and finished the match with a six and to end all possibility of a tight finish.
Earlier Venkatesh Iyer hit a fluent 67 while Nitish Rana produced a fiery 31 off 18 balls to take the total of KKR to 165 runs.
Meanwhile, fans on social media were all praises for the Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul’s match-winning knock. There were many who came up with hilarious memes and jokes while reacting to the match-winning knock by KL Rahul.
Here, check out the reactions of Twitterati on this:
KL Rahul is now the orange cap holder of IPL 2021.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 1, 2021
KL Rahul wins the Man Of The Match award for his 67.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 1, 2021
After today’s match, one can confidently say that only two wicketkeeper Captain are playing dedicatedly & honestly and leading the team from front in IPL.
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.??
Rest are useless like billi ka goo— Kana Sir❁????? ֍ (@Kanatunga) October 1, 2021
Saying it again ..any day in T-20
KL Rahul >>>>>>>> Rohit sharma
— Fukrey (@VikramEns_) October 1, 2021
Leave Orange Cap, KL Rahul may be the Purple Cap holder as well 😉
— TUSHAR ? (@mainlycricket) October 1, 2021
Mayank Agarwal is most underrated T20 batsman India have ever produced. He always provides good starts to his team and gives ample time for KL Rahul to get settled. #IPL2021 #PBKS
— Omkar Nawathe (@oknawathe) October 1, 2021
#PBKS Win The Match?
Kl Rahul To PrithiZinda#PBKSvsKKR pic.twitter.com/MAe9L8nsk7— NijantH_Vj (@NijanthaN_Vj) October 1, 2021
KL Rahul is safe on 62* – the ball touched the ground.#IPL2021 #PBKS #KKR
— Neelabh (@CricNeelabh) October 1, 2021
Sharukh Khan wins a game for Preity Zinta’s side!
It’s all written. 🙂
— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) October 1, 2021
KL Rahul reached his fifty in 43 balls, the captain is leading from the front. His 26th fifty in the IPL.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 1, 2021