Twitter Reactions: KXIP opener Mayank Agarwal plucks the feather out of RR bowlers to score a 45-ball century

Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) locked horns in Sharjah on a super Sunday. As many as 416 runs were scored at the venue during the match between RR and CSK and there were also hopes that the game on Sunday will also live up to the same billing. And the KXIP openers, Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, didn’t disappoint after the Royals opted to bowl first upon winning the toss.

After getting their eyes in for the first couple of overs, Agarwal started to open his arms and he was easily successful. The short boundaries weren’t making it easy for the bowlers either and add to it, Agarwal’s class who was just hitting straight on most occasions with finesse. There was no respite for the likes of Jofra Archer, Tom Curran and Jaydev Unadkat.

Even the spinners, Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia, have been taken apart. To everyone’s surprise, KL Rahul played second fiddle to his opening partner. Mayank Agarwal got going literally from the word go not giving any chances to the opposition bowlers to settle.

Agarwal gets to his 50 in 26 balls

In the process, Agarwal got to his fifty off just 26 balls and it was almost raining sixes off his bat. After playing the waiting game in the opening game against Delhi Capitals during his exceptional 89, the Karnataka lad proved that he can sensational even while attacking from the first ball. After crossing the 50-run mark, Mayank Agarwal shifted his gears even more smacking the hapless bowlers off every delivery.

KL Rahul joined him in fun as well as the duo kept on smashing the ball all along the ground. The Royals bowlers expected the carnage but this hitting was of another level and they were out of answers literally. The best thing about Mayank’s batting was all his shots were proper textbook strokes and none of them were a slog.

It took only 19 deliveries for Agarwal to get to his century after scoring 50 off 26 balls and the Royals literally couldn’t get a breakthrough in their 14 overs. The KXIP opener got to the three-figure mark in the 15th over off Gopal and deservedly got a standing applause from whoever were present at the venue. He smacked seven sixes to get to his hundred and got out to Tom Curran only in the 17th over for 106. Agarwal got to his century in 45 deliveries to smack the second fastest century by an Indian in the IPL ever.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Kings are playing like Asli Singh’s @lionsdenkxip @mayankcricket what a knock ✊

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 27, 2020

Cricket or Life , keep things simple , the KINGS have and the ROYALS haven’t … thus far #RRvsKXIP #IPL2020

— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) September 27, 2020

Mayank-Rahul: The best opening pair in #IPL2020 #KXIP

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 27, 2020

From being a T20 dasher to becoming a quality test opener to scoring a very classy T20 century, @mayankcricket is showing us such a delightful range to his batting.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 27, 2020

Meet the 2️⃣nd centurion of IPL 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ @mayankcricket 🔥 #IPL2020 #mayankagarwal

📷: IPL/BCCI pic.twitter.com/b05hZEMSPr

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) September 27, 2020

A 45 ball 100 for Mayank. To back up what he did in the first game. Love his composure and hunger to keep piling on the runs. #KXIP #RRvKXIP

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 27, 2020

Epitome of commitment, passion and dedication.

Take a bow, @mayankcricket 👏👏

— Rajal Arora (@RajalArora) September 27, 2020

WOW! First IPL century for @mayankcricket and also the first IPL century at Sharjah and second-fastest by an Indian! #RRvKXIP #Dream11IPL #IPL2020

— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) September 27, 2020

Mayank Agarwal what a fantastic knock! A 45-ball century. Plays proper cricketing shots. Sensational batting. Already hit 89 v DC but would’ve been disappointed not to finish the game. This has been a top knock. Should he be part of the indian LOI team?@mayankcricket #RRvKXIP

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) September 27, 2020

Most tons scored from teams in IPL:

13 – Royal Challengers Bangalore
13 – Kings XI Punjab*#RRvKXIP

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 27, 2020

Easy peasy to the eyes, this duo @mayankcricket & @klrahul11 #RRvKXIP

— Rajal Arora (@RajalArora) September 27, 2020

Great going @mayankcricket . What a 💯. MR Aggarwal in the house !!

— Mithun Manhas (@MithunManhas) September 27, 2020

I feel sorry for bowlers tonight in Sharjah. But what a high quality innings by Mayank Agarwal. I am still wondering what a safe total is batting first🤭🤭🤭.

— Ian bishop (@irbishi) September 27, 2020

i find @mayankcricket classy in whatever he does with the bat, in whichever format. Even allowing for batsmen friendly conditions, superb century 👏👏

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) September 27, 2020