IPL 2020: Match 6 – KXIP vs RCB – Who Said What

The sixth match of the Indian Premier League saw splendid action between KL Rahul-led Kings XI Punjab, and Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore. The action couldn’t have been more exciting as the Punjab skipper made his way for a magnificent 132* off 69 balls and helped the team post a massive 206 on board. His swashbuckling ton, made of seven maximums, completely ripped apart the bowling attack of RCB, and his team clinched an effortless victory by huge 97 runs.

Punjab entered the 200-club with the loss of only three wickets and KL Rahul was honoured with the well-deserved player of the match award. Though Shivam Dube plucked two wickets and Yuzvendra Chahal remained economical, but none of it came to use when Rahul was already clear in his intentions. Virat Kohli dropped dangerous Rahul twice, and it can be framed as the biggest mistake of the game.

A complete collapse of RCB

Chasing the heavy target in front, RCB batters didn’t look prepared at all and started losing early wickets. AB de Villiers looked to provide some base to the game but had to return on ordinary 28. The likes of Sheldon Cottrell, Mohammed Shami, and Ravi Bishnoi started to create the damage, and even skipper Virat Kohli had to return pavilion on just one run.

Losing skipper, Virat Kohli said

Yeah it didn’t. I think we were good in the middle phase with the ball, they got off to a decent start and we pulled things back nicely. I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn’t have under pressure from ball one to chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say couple of important chances went down.

There are days when these kind of things happen on the cricket field, they happen and we have to accept them. We have had a good game, we have had a bad game and now it is time to move on. Learn from the mistakes we make. We did pretty well closing in on the second time out. Those are the moments, we pulled things back nicely so we understand how to do that as a team. He (Philippe) has batted at the top of the order for Western Australia and done well in the BBL as well, early days in the tournament so we thought we will maximise his ability and see how we go from thereon. We thought we will give ourselves a bit of depth in the middle overs.

Winning skipper and player of the match KL Rahul said

As a leader it’s important to lead from the front. It’s a complete team performance, really happy. I told Maxi that I am not feeling completely in control of my batting, he said you must be joking, you are hitting really well. During the toss is the only time I feel like a captain and otherwise I balance being a player and the captain. The analyst, coach and the management will be happy. I watched the U19 World Cup. He has a lot of fight in him. He’s always ready when I throw the ball. He wants to get into the contest.

Current Purple cap holder, Mohammed Shami said

I have the responsibility to deliver with the new ball, help my bowling partners and try to hit the right areas. We also have a good batting line up and our bowling is more improved this year. It is a young unit with a good mix of experience and even skill wise we are good. Depends on how the wickets are over there (in Sharjah), if there is moisture we will try to bowl full and if it is dry we bowl back of a length. That will be the plan. We can only assess after reaching there and seeing the pitch.