Murali Vijay scores 55 as KXIP are shot out for 154 against GL in IPL 2016

KXIP were shot out for an above average total of 154 in 20 overs, against GL, in Match 28 of the ongoing IPL 2016, at Rajkot.

Visitors Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) skipper Murali Vijay played a steady knock of 55, as they were shot out for an above average total of 154 in 20 overs, against Gujarat Lions (GL), in Match 28 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday. Shivil Kaushik of GL claimed three wickets for 20. Earlier, GL skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to field first, as he fielded unchanged squad from their win over new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), while KXIP skipper Vijay made a mammoth four changes in the form of Gurkeerat Singh, KC Cariappa, Marcus Stoinis and Wriddhiman Saha, coming in for Manan Vohra, Mitchell Johnson and a couple others. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Gujarat Lions vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2016 at Rajkot

KXIP openers in the form of Vijay and Stoinis were off to a solid start as both brought up the opening 65-run stand, before Stoinis fell for 27 to Ravindra Jadeja, after being stumped by Dinesh Karthik, in the seventh over. With just five more added to the total, it was Shaun Marsh, who fell for a mere single to Shivil Kaushik, after being caught by skipper Raina in the eighth over, and soon to follow him was Maxwell off the very next ball to the same man, after being caught behind. As thre emore rins were added to the total, it was Gurkeerat Singh, who was unfortunately run out for a duck in the ninth over. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: Gujarat Lions vs Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2016 at Rajkot

Nevertheless, it was followed by a steady 27-run stand between Vijay and former skipper David Miller, as Vijay brought up his half-century in 36 deliveries, including six boundaries, along with a strike rate of 134, before he fell at the score of 55 to Jaushal again, after being caught by Dwayne Bravo, as the score read 100. It was then followed by another healthy 39-run stand between Miller and Wriddhiman Saha, before Miller fell in the 18th over to Dhawal Kulkarni, after being caught by Dwayne Smith.

As the score ticked 145, it was Akshar Patel, who fell for an unfortunate duck to Dwayne Bravo, after being caught by Ishan Kishan, as the partnership was worth just six runs along with Saha. However, with six more added to the total, it was Saha, who was bowled by Bravo again in the same over for a strong innings of 33. At the score of 153 in the final over, Praveen Kumar got rid of Mohit Sharma, after he bowled him up for a mere single, as after a run, it was Cariappa, who was bowled for just a single by Praveen again in the final ball of the innings, as KXIP were shot out for 154.

Brief scores:

Kings XI Punjab 154 in 20 overs (Murali Vijay 55, David Miller 31; Shivil Kaushik 3 for 20, Praveen Kumar 2 for 25) vs Gujarat Lions.

(Ayush Gupta is a reporter at CricketCountry. A passionate supporter of Manchester United, he idolises Roger Federer and is also a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) maniac. He can be followed on Twitter @Ayush24x7)

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