Updated: September 27, 2020 10:35:49 pm
KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal recorded the highest opening spot for Kings XI Punjab. (BCCI / Screengrab)
KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal went head-to-head while showing a batting masterclass in Sharjah against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. While Agarwal was the aggressor and outpointed KL in the first 10 overs of KXIP innings, Rahul unleashed his enthusiasm in the second half of the 183-run endurance between the two.
Their partnership was simply brilliant and has certainly raised the bar for other teams to follow in their footsteps. But if there was one moment that stood out in the middle of his set of six and four it was Nataraj’s shot, first by Rahul, followed by Agarwal, both from the same pitcher, Jofra Archer.
Natarajan Shot that Kapil Dev used to play. KL Rahul brings back those golden days.#RRvsKXIP pic.twitter.com/ad4n7BOE9i
– भाव NA (@_chill_india) September 27, 2020
Natarajan Shot that Kapil Dev used to play. KL Rahul brings back those golden days.#RRvKXIP #RRvsKXIP #KXIPvsRR #KXIPvRR pic.twitter.com/Jf1cM9zCUo
– Awarapan 🇮🇳 (@KingSlayer_Rule) September 27, 2020
This is the photo of Nataraja street pic.twitter.com/SzhbZdErzQ
– ANNOUNCEMENT (@cricadharsh) September 27, 2020
Archer hit short at 148 kmph and the ball didn’t go as high off the field as the pitcher would have liked. Rahul simply spun around and used his play past the square leg to mark a limit. ‘Nataraj’s shot,’ commenter L Sivaramakrishnan joked right away.
A couple of balls later, Mayank showed that he can also face Rahul. This time it was the slowest ball that rose a little from the surface. But once again the ball didn’t go as high as Archer would have liked and the batter quickly got into position and helped him on his way, well away from the square leg back for a four.
But who played it better? You can decide here-
Agarwal eclipsed his Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul with a hundred inaugural IPL as the duo beat up the Rajasthan Royals players until they submitted to post a towering 223 for 2 here on Sunday.
Agarwal (106) and Rahul (69) sewed 183 runs to the opening bleacher, the highest association for any terrain so far this season, as they disarmed Royals bowlers who were also astray in their line. and length.
The duo missed the highest opening wicket association record in IPL history by just two runs when Agarwal came out at 17 after hitting 10 fours and seven sixes during his magnificent 50-ball hit.
Nicholas Pooran then hit 25, not just eight balls, while Glenn Maxwell also remained undefeated at 13 as KXIP finished with the highest team total of the 2020 IPL.
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