IPL 2018, KXIP vs RR: 5 talking points
Kings XI Punjab beat Rajasthan Royals with six wickets in hand and with eight balls to spare on Sunday to leapfrog Kolkata Kight Riders into third place in the IPL 2018 points table while their opponents' slim chances of securing a playoff spot look all but over.
The margin of victory might indicate a very comfortable win for Ravichandran Ashwin's side but they had a few hiccups along the way and a spirited effort by the Rajasthan bowlers meant the match could have gone either way.
It was KL Rahul's majestic innings of 84 off 54 balls that proved decisive in the end as he guided his team home, deservedly scoring the winnings runs, as they chased down the target of 153 set by the Royals'.
Here are the 5 major talking points from today's contest at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
#5 Batting woes continue for the Royals'
Rajasthan Royals splashed the cash during the 2018 IPL auction but, on the field, the season has proved to be a dismal one so far for Ajinkya Rahane's side with the skipper himself one of many batsmen who has failed to deliver for the side.
The move to open the innings with Jos Buttler has worked out well for them but the other batsmen have failed to bring in their A game when needed. Sanju Samson has had a few good knocks but the consistency and ability to convert the starts into big knocks is lacking as was proved today as he threw his wicket away after scoring 28.
Ben Stokes' repeated failures have been a cause of concern for Royals and it is indeed a worry that despite the good start provided by Buttler at the top of the order, Royals barely managed to scramble past the 150-run mark.