Five years and 48 innings later – Deepak Hooda stands up tall for KXIP in crunch IPL 2020 game vs CSK

Kings XI Punjab were in big trouble in their must-win IPL 2020 game against Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. Imran Tahir had taken the wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Chris Gayle in quick succession. Lungi Ngidi had already sent back Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul. At 73/4 in 12 overs, Kings XI Punjab were in danger of being bowled out for an underpar score. The lower-middle order of Kings XI Punjab had not inspired much confidence. In stepped Deepak Hooda and he proceeded to play an innings that could potentially keep Kings XI Punjab alive in the playoff race and add another fascinating chapter to their dramatic IPL 2020.

After starting off slowly with Mandeep Singh, Deepak Hooda capitalized on a poor over from Deepak Chahar in the 14^th as he slammed a short ball to deep midwicket for a boundary. That set the tone for Deepak Hooda who hammered a big six off Imran Tahir over extra cover to give Kings XI Punjab some hope. In the 18^th over, Deepak Hooda hit two sixes off Lungi Ngidi, one a sliced shot at the longer part of the boundary as he neared a fifty. The right-hander notched up his fifty in the 19^th over when he hit a four and a single off Shardul Thakur. Deepak Hooda ended the innings in style as he walloped a four off Ngidi in the final over and another six to wide long off and long on to finish on 62 off 30 balls.

This was Deepak Hooda’s highest score in IPL and it was his first fifty after five years. Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2015, Deepak Hooda hit 54 against Delhi Daredveils while he opened the innings. Five years later and 48 innings later, Deepak Hooda finally hit a fifty. The longest gap by a player in between fifties in Yusuf Pathan, who took 49 innings to hit his next fifty and after crossing the milestone.

Positive attitude

Speaking after the end of the innings, Deepak Hooda said he enjoyed his batting today. “I'm very pleased with my batting today. If we bowl well, make use of the change of pace, some of them stick on the surface, and need to bowl cutters. I was trying to be positive, if it was in my zone, I was going for my shots,” Deepak Hooda said.

The final league game for both Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab is a must-win game for KL Rahul’s side. If they win, they are alive in the race for the playoffs. If KXIP lose, they will be eliminated. If Kings XI Punjab win, they have to hope Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals do not win by a big margin and that Sunrisers Hyderabad suffer a loss to Mumbai Indians in their last league game.