Having lost two tight games at the start of the season, KXIP managed to get on the right side of the results in the last couple of games, although it was too close for comfort by their own admission
KXIP's Glenn Maxwell ahead of the RCB clash in Sharjah. Pic: BCCI/IPL
The nail-biting win over defending champions Mumbai Indians was certainly a morale-lifter but the inconsistent Kings XI Punjab have another tough battle at hand when they take on table leaders Delhi Capitals in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
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Having lost two tight games at the start of the season, KXIP managed to get on the right side of the results in the last couple of games, although it was too close for comfort by their own admission.
Needing seven off the last two overs with nine wickets in hand, they should have wrapped the game against RCB much before the last ball and even in the IPL's first double Super Over against Mumbai Indians on Sunday night, the KL Rahul-led side could have closed it out in regulation time.
Death bowing and the form of star player Glenn Maxwell in a shaky middle-order remain a concern for a team that needs to win its remaining five games to make the play-offs.
The fact that KXIP have struggled this season despite having tournament's top two run-getters in openers Rahul (525) and Mayank Agarwal (393) best sums up their
erratic run. On a positive note, the successful return of Chris Gayle has reduced the burden on the shoulders of the star openers, especially allowing Rahul to play more freely.
Nicholas Pooran has shown his lethalness time and again but is yet to play a match-winning knock and the pressure is increasing on Maxwell, the batsman, who is proving to be more useful as a spinner operating in the Powerplay. However, the team is likely to stick to him in the game against Delhi Capitals.
Leggie Dubey joins DC in place of Mishra
Dubai: Delhi Capitals on Monday named Karnataka leggie Pravin Dubey as a replacement for veteran spinner Amit Mishra, who was ruled out of the IPL due to a fractured finger. The 27-year-old leg-spinner has played 14 domestic T20 matches, and has 16 wickets to his name with an economy rate of 6.87.
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