5 memorable moments from the Kings XI Punjab-Gujarat Lions match that don't fade away

Could this be the game that marks the change in fortunes for the KXIP? After a horrible start to the campaign, that saw them linger at the bottom of the table, they were pitched against the best team of the tournament thus far, the Gujarat Lions, in an encounter that many expected to be an easy one-way affair for the Lions.

However, with a change in captaincy for the KXIP, it seems as though luck has smiled on them as they looked like a highly inspired side under the stewardship of Murali Vijay.

Now Murali Vijay doesn’t strike to one as a leader, but neither did Dhoni when he assumed the captain’s mantle for India—and we all know how that turned out. Something similar could happen with Vijay at the helm. In his first game as a captain, he led his team to a convincing win and the KXIP fans will hope that this is the first of many.

There were several memorable moments from the match that don't fade away, quite like the Axe Signature range of body perfumes. Here are 5 of the best:

Vijay leading from the front

Vijay played a captain’s knock for the Kings XI

Almost nothing in sport is better than watching a captain leading from the front and setting an example for the others to follow. In his first game as a captain in the IPL, Murali Vijay did just that. He came down and went all-guns-blazing at the bowlers.

Punjab might have imploded later, but it wasn’t before he scored 55 off just 41 balls—giving them the perfect start to the game. Vijay and Stoinis actually conjured 65 runs in 6.4 overs before the partnership broke.

If this is a sign of things to come, then Punjab fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

The wrath of Wriddhiman

Saha was great with the bat and the gloves as well

It seems like the IPL is finally producing great innings from the local boys. Saha has always been one of those players who has been around for a while, but couldn’t make the impact despite such a long run.

Today, however, was one of those days where the impact Saha made gave his team the extra 15-20 runs—which, in the end, became the difference between winning and losing. In a team that consists of power hitters like Glenn Maxwell and David Miller, it was he who turned up the heat with his 19-ball 33.

The weird action works

Kaushik’s action was the talk of the game

We have had a plethora of bowlers with absolutely mysterious actions taking the cricket world by storm—at least because of their weird bowling action. And the most recent inclusion in this list is Shivil Kaushik.

Among many other trolls on his bowling action, the best one remains the fact that he is the only bowler in the world whose gaze is towards the fielder at mid off/long off at the time of release.

And this was perhaps the reason why the batsmen were perplexed while facing him tonight. When Punjab were on a roll, he came in and took 3 wickets while giving away just 20 runs in his spell of 4 overs.

Mohit Sharma on song

Mohit was excellent with the ball

Among the players that made an instant impact in their debut IPL season, Mohit Mahipal Sharma would find his name as his first season with Chennai Super Kings shot him to fame and the Indian Cricket team as well.

However, he fell like he rose and of the biggest reason for that was his uneconomical ways of bowling. He might have been around the fringes of the team, but could never really break in.

In this IPL, though, he is making somewhat of a comeback. While his economy rate is still a matter of a little concern, he took 3 wickets today in his 4 overs while giving away 32 runs. Two of his wickets were the prized scalps of Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina.

Axar Patel’s hat-trick

Patel picked up a hat-trick for Punjab

And, finally, the first hat-trick of this IPL tournament. Batting at 38 for 2 after 6.2 overs, Gujarat were steadily anchoring their ship towards the coast. And then the storm named Axar Patel happened.

By the time the 6th over ended, he had taken 3 wickets and Gujarat were lingering at 39 for 5. He took two wickets in the last 2 balls of the over, putting him on a hat-trick for the first ball of the very next over.

And he completed it by picking the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja, to all but put a halt to Gujarat’s chase. He took 4 wickets in the span of 5 balls, leaving them in a dire situation at 57 for 6. He ended his spell with brilliant figures of 21 for 4.