Taking a major step towards securing a Playoff spot, Kolkata Knight Riders defeated fellow contenders Kings XI Punjab by 7 wickets at the Mohali Stadium. The stadium had been KXIP’s fortress, with the home team winning all the IPL games played here. However, the Kings lost when they needed to win the most. The implication of the defeat is that they are almost at the verge of elimination. As for KKR, they have now climbed to the 5th spot and are level with fourth placed SRH with 12 points. However, the team will have to win with a big margin in their last match against MI if they fancy a top 4 finish.
Having been asked to bat first, KXIP did not have the best of starts with both the openers returning to pavilion within the 4 overs. It was the middle order trio of Mayank Agarwal (36), Nicholas Pooran (48), and Sam Curran (55*) that helped the Kings post a competitive total of 183/6.
However, it didn’t prove to be much of a match in front of KKR’s rejuvenated batting order. The shuffle in the top order seems to have spelt magic for Kolkata with Shubman Gill being the biggest beneficiary. The Punjab batsman cracked a brilliant knock of 65 runs from 49 balls on his native ground to help KKR get a fantastic start. Chris Lynn (46), and Andre Russell (24) ably supported the youngster as the visitors chased down the total comfortably within 18 over itself.
And without a doubt, Shubman Gill was trending on topic even before the match ended. Here is how the Twitterati reacted on the 19-year-old’s epic knock:
A local boy from Punjab just thrashed the dreams of Punjab about qualifying to playoffs by playing some of the most beautiful cricketing shots you would see in a limited overs game. Remarkable talent @RealShubmanGill. And we are still alive in the competition. #KXIPvKKR
— R! (@WeirdlyProbable) May 3, 2019
If Rishab pant has to take a leaf out of Gill's book definitely it's his #Temparament ..#KXIPvKKR
— Adithya Ashwin (@Get_Ashfied) May 3, 2019
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– believing Vijay Shankar is more capable that Shubman Gill for team India. #KXIPvKKR
— Sports Guru (@SportsG84103978) May 3, 2019
Well played Gill, India’s future number 4. It’s an eventuality, only a matter of time! #KXIPvKKR
— Vikram Mehta (@MehtaMorphosis) May 3, 2019
As soon as Shubman Gill got 50, his father got up and started doing Bhangra with such a big smile on his face 🙂 #KXIPvKKR #IPL2019 pic.twitter.com/1lDs476ovr
— Chintan Buch (@chintanjbuch) May 3, 2019
Great win by KKR. Saying it from the start that Shubman Gill should play up in the order. And now he’s delivering when opening the innings. Great batting by Gill and lynn. One more win and we are in the playoffs ??. #KXIPvKKR #IPL @iamsrk @KKRiders @lynny50 @RealShubmanGill
— Amir Mushtaq (@amirmushtaq01) May 3, 2019
This ipl has developed a strong future indian cricket team
Prithvi shaw, sanju samson, shreyas iyer, shubman gill, manish pandey, mayank agarwal, riyan parag, shreyas gopal, navdeep saini (bowls 150kmph),rahul chahar,
Really such a strong team!!#KXIPvKKR @bhogleharsha
— Anurag Sahani ?? (@imAsahani_) May 3, 2019
How I see this match b/w #KXIPvKKR is, it took 7-8 matches for @DineshKarthik to decide the most suitable batting position for @RealShubmanGill. It'd have not been any surprise if Gill would've been in top scorers if he would've got enough chances to settle earlier as opener.
— Siddharth Srivastava (@iamsid_04) May 3, 2019
Shubhman Gill Surely Has The Potential To Be The Next Captain Of Team India.
His Elegance,Class Temperament is such a visual treat to watch. He's just magnificent. Can see him going a loong long way.
Good That IPL is generating New Talents Each Time. #KXIPvKKR— Faisal Khan (@SFKtweets) May 3, 2019
Really like the look of young Subhman Gill. He has looked way beyond his age right throughout the tournament.
A Future Superstar in making…. #KXIPvKKR pic.twitter.com/7Cyeammggi— Siddharth Jha (@jha_siddhus91) May 3, 2019
What a Proud Moment for the parents…???
Subhman Gill will definitely proud every Indian with his class batting in near future…??#KXIPvKKR @RealShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/brPwDbvW8O
— Rohitian World #MI (@RohitianWorld) May 3, 2019
Shubman Gill is a silent killer. Never feels or looks like he is taking the game way. Then he reaches a milestone and BAM!! You realize he is striking it at 140 odd. @IPL #KXIPvKKR
— Nwabisa Ntanjana (@nwaby786) May 3, 2019
Shubman Gill is simply miles ahead of his peers.
No point comparing talent at this age, but Gill has the maturity and temperament of a seasoned senior cricketer, something the likes of Shaw/Pant to learn.
Him and Rana need to be drafted into the team post-WC asap.#KXIPvKKR
— Eamon Lahiri (@TheSimianFreud) May 3, 2019
