KL Rahul smashes fastest IPL fifty as KXIP cruise to six-wicket win against Delhi

Opener KL Rahul blasted his way to the fastest half-century recorded in the Indian Premier League as a new-look Kings XI Punjab started their campaign on a resounding note, defeating Delhi Daredevils by six wickets at Mohali on Sunday. Ravichandran Ashwin marshalled his resources admirably, restricting Delhi to 166/7 on a placid track.

Rahul smashed six boundaries and four sixes in his 16-ball-51, the contest was all but over at the end of the powerplay overs, which saw Punjab finish at 73/2. Karun Nair, who has had a mixed domestic season, then helped himself to a breezy 33-ball-50 as the home side reached the target with seven balls to spare.

Only Yuvraj Singh’s 12 off 22 balls stuck out like a sore thumb as he once again looked a pale shadow of his old self. Ravichandran Ashwin, who opened the bowling attack for Punjab, bowled a few leg breaks during his disciplined effort of 1/23 in 4 overs. The surprise package, though, was Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, who finished with 2/28 in 4 overs.

Rahul certainly stole the show. His carnage started with a top-edged six and a couple of boundaries off Trent Boult. He followed that by carting Mohammed Shami over fine-leg for a six. By the time leg-spinner Amit Mishra was introduced in the third over, Rahul had build solid momentum.

He broke the fastest fifty record by hammering Mishra for two sixes and three fours in his first over. Rahul’s fireworks came to an end while playing a lap shot, but the pressure was off Kings XI’s at the time. Nair also made merry, hitting five fours and two sixes. “For years, I have been branded a Test cricketer. It’s good for me to be up there, creating history and breaking records. Hope to continue this way,” Rahul said after being adjudged the Player of the Match.

Gambhir’s decision to play Mishra was questionable as the latter didn’t look fully fit and has played very limited domestic cricket this season. The other leg-spinner, Rahul Tewatia (1/24 in 4 overs) mainly bowled wicket to wicket, and got lucky, dismissing Yuvraj with a half-tracker. “We got a decent total, but the first six overs took the game away from us. Credit to the bowlers to take it till the 19th over, I thought that was a tremendous effort. Once the ball got old, it was hard to clear the fence. 166 was a competitive total,” Delhi skipper Gambhir said.

The veteran opener had a decent outing with the bat, bringing up a 42-ball 55. Gambhir’s knock was studded with five boundaries and a six before he was run out in he 15th over.

Delhi were restricted by a fine bowling display by Punjab, with 17-year-old spinner Rahman making his IPL debut. Asked to bat first, Delhi got off to a cautious start after losing their opener Colin Munro (4) in the third over. The Kiwi missed a switch hit and Rahman trapped him leg before.

Munro’s dismissal had little effect on Gambhir, who repatedly hit left-arm spinner Axar Patel inside out. Just as Gambhir tried to up the ante, he kept losing partners at the other end. Shreyas Iyer (11) and Vijay Shankar (13) failed to impress. Rishabh Pant (28) made a quick-fire 13-ball 28 before. His dismissal allowed Punjab to claw their way back in the game.