Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) survived an extraordinary late choke to end their run of defeats with an eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday night in Sharjah.
Batting first, Bangalore managed to score just 171 at Sharjah and the one big question around their innings was about their batting order - with AB de Villiers coming out to bat as late as number 6.
At one point, Virat was even seen looking straight into the dressing room and indicating with his arms that AB come out to bat next. The South Africa however only came in the 17th over and got out on a 2-ball 5.
Asked about this decision after the match, Virat admitted it was a wrong call to have made.
‘There was a message from outside about playing a left-right batting combination. We had a discussion about it and decided to go ahead with it because they had two leggies and that could have kept them out of the game. Sometimes decisions you take don’t come off and this was one of those nights,’ Virat said while speaking to the official broadcaster.
During the chase, KXIP struggled to get two runs from the last over bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal, taking it all the way down to the last ball. The first two were dot balls after which Gayle managed to get off strike. After another dot ball, Rahul hit the ball straight to cover and ran for the single. Gayle didn't make it to his end and was run out which left new batsman Nicholas Pooran needing to score a run off the last ball for KXIP to avoid a Super Over.
Pooran, however, did the needful, hitting a six just over long-on to finish the game.
After the match, KXIP skipper KL Rahul the chase got too chose for comfort at the end.
"I don't even have words. We knew that we had to scrap and get over the line once and that would give us the confidence. We're a far better side than bottom of the table. Towards the end it got too close for comfort but happy that we made it,” he said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)