All-star of the match
KL Rahul just keeps getting better in T20s. He hasn't so much as played an ugly shot this IPL season. Rare it is that you find a batsman who strikes the ball so easily in T20s, and rarer still, one who does it with such consistency.
Rahul has been belligerent in the Powerplay overs this season, which made his innings against Rajasthan Royals a slightly atypical one. He has struck at 186.66 off the first 10 balls he faces in an innings: the highest this season among batsmen to have faced 50-plus balls. On Sunday, however, Rahul ambled to 18 off 15 in the Powerplay.
Part of that was down to losing Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal cheaply. A trio of fours in the third over, where he expertly manipulated K Gowtham to throw the offspinner of his lines, indicated that this could be another tearaway blitz.
Gayle fell, frustratingly walloping a short and wide delivery to point. Next over, Agarwal pulled Ben Stokes straight into the hands of deep square leg. A slowdown thereafter was natural, because so much of Kings XI's success had depended on their openers, which had left their middle order untested. Rahul then rode out the storm, and found an efficient partner in Karun Nair. During their 50-run partnership, Rahul only struck two fours, and played second fiddle, making 19 while Nair scored 31. It set the stage for a stunning late onslaught.
Over the next four overs after Nair's dismissal, Rahul collected 12 runs off 15 deliveries. Then, with four overs left, he shifted gears. A dazzling upper cut off Jofra Archer gave him his fifty, and Rahul followed that up with a six and a four in each of the next two overs. Before that Archer over, Kings XI had required 43 off 24 balls. Kings XI took only 16.
The wow moment
In the 17th over, bowled by Archer, Rahul arguably played the shot of the match. With Kings XI needing 36 off 21 balls, Archer dropped one short outside Rahul's off stump. With the crowd screaming his name, Rahul negotiated the bounce with stunning ease, simply arching back and ramping it over third man. The shot gave Rahul his fifty, reduced the equation to 30 off 20, and signalled his shift into overdrive.
The numbers
Rahul's 84 not out is his highest IPL score. His previous best was 68 not out off 53 balls, for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians in 2016.
Rahul scored 18 off 15 balls in the Powerplay, 24 off 24 in the middle overs, and 42 off 15 at the death, where he was batting for the first time this season.
As per ESPNcricinfo Smart Stats, Rahul's runs this season are worth 74.32 more than his actual runs, which is the most among all players.
What they said
"I always try to back my shots, never try to slog. I've learned that doesn't suit me, and I know if I can keep my shape, I can succeed even in T20s."
KL Rahul