Kings XI Punjab is speaking through their performance, says Mayank Agarwal

The Kings XI Punjab rose to the top of the league table in the IPL 2018 after beating the Kolkata Knight Riders at their home ground Eden Gardens on Saturday. Batting first, KKR had put up a competitive total of 191 for the Kings to chase, but after the torrential showers that cut down the second innings to only 13 overs, it became quite easy for Punjab to win.

However, when the covers came out in the ninth over, KXIP was already 31 runs ahead of the DLS par score. Chris Gayle once again showed why he is invincible in the Indian Premier League, and how wrong the franchisees were to keep turning him down in the auctions. After being seated in the dugout for the first two matches, he scored 63 and 104 in back to back and continued his good form in the KKR match with a knock of 62 off 38.

Top order batsman Mayank Agarwal praised the batsmen of KXIP and mentioned their intention of continuing the good show. “We have been batting well. We intend to keep doing the things we’ve been doing,” he said while speaking to the reporters. But he also says that it is the holistic performance of the team that is ultimately working out for them.

Team’s success not dependent on Chris Gayle

When asked if the team’s success largely depends on Chris Gayle alone, he denied and gave credit to the rest of the team as well.

“Gayle brings in a lot of firepower. Along with him, the bowlers are also stepping in,” he said. “Rahul is doing well too. So we can’t say it’s a one-man show,” he added.

The Karnataka cricketer’s words can’t be truer, given the brilliant form of KL Rahul in the league so far. The Indian opener broke the record of the fastest IPL fifty previously held jointly by Sunil Narine and Yusuf Pathan, by reaching the mark in only 14 balls. At Eden on Saturday, he brought up his second half-century and scored a 27 ball 60. He was named the Player of the Match on both occasions.

Agarwal believes that the integrity of the team is largely responsible for their great run. “Our performances are speaking for themselves. We gel well as the unit and understand each other well,” he said.

The Kings face off against the Delhi Daredevils next on April 23 at Feroz Shah Kotla.

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