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Skipper R Ashwin and opener KL Rahul played pivotal roles as Kings XI Punjab produced a superb all-round performance to script a comfortable 12-run win over Rajasthan Royals in a second leg IPL clash to bring their campaign back on track.
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Invited to bat, Rahul (52), who was named in India's World Cup squad on Monday, and David Miller (40 off 27) shared an 85-run stand to lay the foundation.
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Ashwin (17* and 2/24) then smashed a four and successive sixes in the last two balls to put KXIP in a strong position.
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The hosts then returned to restrict Rajasthan to 168 for seven, courtesy some superb bowling by Ashwin and Murugan Ashwin (1/24) in the middle overs after Arshdeep Singh's maiden two IPL wickets.
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After blasting two sixes and one four, Buttler was caught by keeper Pooran as young pacer Arshdeep scalped his maiden IPL wicket.
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Opener Rahul Tripathi (50) and Sanju Samson (27 off 21) added 59 runs to take Rajasthan close to the 100-mark.
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However, after two tight overs, Ashwin produced the breakthrough with a carrom ball in the 12th over when he cleaned up Samson, who looked to play a sweep shot.
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Needing 66 off last six overs, Tripathi completed his fifty in 44 balls before being caught at long-off boundary by Agarwal off Ashwin.
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Australian Ashton Turner's IPL debut ended with first-ball nought, while Jofra Archer was sent back by Shami as RR slumped to 133 for five in 17.1 overs.
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Stuart Binny scored a quickfire 11-ball 33 but it was not enough as Rahane too was dismissed in pursuit of quick runs.
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Earlier in-form Rahul played a controlled innings after he lost his opening partner Chris Gayle (30) before powerplay.
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Gayle hit three sixes and two boundaries before being sent back by Archer as KXIP were 39-1 at the end of the powerplay.
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Mayank Agarwal, who walked in after Gayle's fall, made 26 of 12 balls and was claimed by RR's New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi as Punjab slipped to 67 for two.
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Rahul then tried to steady the ship with Miller, who came into the side due to the last-minute ankle injury of Australian allrounder Moises Henriques.
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Rahul was then picked up by medium pacer Jaydev Unadkat in the 18th over with the opener hitting straight to Archer at point.
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Punjab then lost Nicholas Pooran (5) and Mandeep Singh (0) -- both claimed by Archer in his last over, while Miller too handed a catch to Buttler off Kulkarni in the 20th over.
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Ashwin then smashed a four and successive sixes in the last two balls to put KXIP in a strong position.
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