Although KL Rahul did score some runs in the game against Hong Kong, it came at a poor strike rate of 92 with just two hits over the fence, and the India opener was heavily, and deservedly, criticised for his atrocious knock on Wednesday in Dubai.
KL Rahul had bagged a golden duck against Pakistan three days ago and was in desperate need of runs. However, it’s quite astonishing the way those runs came today.
KL Rahul’s knock raises questions about his intent
Given the first opportunity to bat first on a new and hard Dubai surface, Rahul scored 36 runs off 39 balls against Hong Kong. He hit 2 sixes and no fours in his stay which lasted about an hour.
Rahul just refused to show intent at the start of his innings: he was batting on 4 runs off 11 balls before he got a free-hit, when finally he opened up his arms to send Haroon Arshad for a six and his first proper intentful shot.
After that, KL Rahul again went back into his shell while Kohli also started slowly following Rohit Sharma’s dismissal. Both Rahul and Kohli exchanged a series of singles and doubles.
Rahul broke his shackles once again in the 9th to clobber Aizaz Khan over deep-midwicket and his strike also shooter up over 100 for that moment. But it dipped back again after he played down more dots and dealt in more singles.
Eventually, on the last ball of the 13th over, Rahul got out to spinner Mohammad Ghazanfar, edging while trying to slog him and the wicket-keeper, Scott McKechnie, took a good juggling catch to complete KLR’s dismissal.
KL Rahul’s innings of 36 runs in 39 balls frustrated and flabbergasted the fans because the opener has all the talents in the world to dominate batting, but doesn’t shows the willingness and the intent required in T20 cricket.
Here are some of the reactions of angry fans, many trolling KL Rahul for his slow knock vs Hong Kong:
https://twitter.com/WSArcher_/status/1564988248044277764
https://twitter.com/basedIITian/status/1564993408698970112
https://twitter.com/bose_abhimanyu/status/1564993310317748224
With Kohli, you would feel that he can at least turn it up in Aussie conditions come the World Cup. With KL, it doesn’t seem to be a matter of conditions or opposition, more of a mindset problem
— Abhimanyu Bose (@bose_abhimanyu) August 31, 2022
KL ke dimag me sirf athiya shetty chal rahi hai😭💔
— Sir Godfather Akatsuki (@_know_pain_) August 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/_know_pain_/status/1564994006576074752
KL Rahul got out on 36 after playing a Test innings as a tribute to India's 36 all out against Australia in a Test Match.
— Fakhar Bajwa 🏏 (@BajwaKehtaHaii) August 31, 2022
KL Rahul got out on 36 after playing a Test innings as a tribute to India’s 36 all out against Australia in a Test Match.
— Fakhruu :^) 🏏 (@BajwaKehtaHaii) August 31, 2022
KL Rahul's attacking shots in the Powerplay: 1
The one he nailed for six off a free-hit.— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) August 31, 2022
