Kxip

Chris Gayle was hospitalized on Saturday presumably as a consequence of the food poisoning that he has been suffering from early last week.

KXIP made the announcement on their website that will be sure to please their many fans and those of the Universe Boss.

“Chris Gayle is back on the training ground, having recovered from his stomach bug. Chris Gayle was spotted back on the training ground on Monday, October 12, and in all likelihood should now be fit for Kings XI Punjab’s game against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday, October 15,” the club said.

Gayle has not played this season for the franchise that has won only one of its seven matches this season. He had been expected to play last week against Sunrisers Hyderabad but was unable to play because of the stomach infection that eventually caused him to be hospitalized on Saturday.

According to team coach Anil Kumble, the Universe Boss was down to play against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who won the game by 69 runs despite a belligerent 37-ball 77 from Nicholas Pooran.

“Chris Gayle was going to play today’s match but he is sick. He is down with food poisoning that’s why he isn’t in playing eleven,” Kumble told commentators during the game.

Gayle has not featured for Kings XI Punjab that has only won one of six games so far this season.

Man-of-the-Match Gayle, 41, scored a 29-ball 51 in a second-wicket stand of 100 from just 60 balls with Mandeep Singh, who top scored with an unbeaten 66 as KXIP ran out eight-wicket victors.

Gayle took 17 runs off Narine’s bowling ithat included two of his five sixes that were creamed over wide long off the Trinidadian in the 11^th and 13^th over, respectively. The Universe Boss just failed to remain unbeaten getting out from a slower ball from Lockie Ferguson in the 19^th over with KXIP just three runs short of their target.

Narine, meanwhile, went wicketless while conceding 27 from his four overs.

Gayle said it was great to get one up against one of the best T20 bowlers in the world.

“Sunil has got me out so many times. He is the best spinner in the world. So when you get a wicket like this, when it is not turning much, you got to cash in,” Gayle said even as he praised the match-winning knock from Mandeep, who is mourning the loss of his father.

“Mandeep is going through a lot. Last game we said we want to win it for him. So beautiful to watch him in the middle pointing out to his father watching from above. And dad, my dad, I love you. Today, the coach asked the senior players, we need to step up in crucial games, I am glad we were able to put my hand up. And the youngsters in the team are telling me, 'Don't retire.'"

Gayle’s form has been on the upswing since he made his season debut for KXIP after missing out on playing during the first half of the season, partly due to a case of food poisoning that resulted in him being briefly hospitalized.

"Been training off the field when not playing. Doing my runs. Gym. Feeling good,” said Gayle, who is also optimistic about his team finishing the season well after their fifth win on the trot.

“Have a good feeling about myself and the team. Just capitalizing on it, but still a long way to go."

Narine ended with 2 wickets for 28 runs as KKR defended a par score of 164 to register their second win in a row and climb up to third position on the points table.  The bowler artfully defended 14 runs off the final over to help his team stun KXIP by 2 runs.  Following the match, however, an IPL release confirmed that the player’s bowling action was once again under scrutiny.

"Sunil Narine, the Kolkata Knight Riders player, has been reported for bowling with a Suspected Illegal Bowling Action during his side’s Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab at Abu Dhabi,” the release stated.

"The report was made by the on-field umpires according to the IPL’s Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy. Mr. Narine will be placed on the Warning List and is permitted to continue to bowl in the tournament,” it continued.

"Another report will result in Mr. Narine being suspended from bowling in the Dream11 IPL 2020 until cleared by the BCCI Suspect Bowling Action Committee."

Narine's bowling action was previously reported for the same offense in 2015 and was banned from bowling off-spinners in that season and even missed the 50-over World Cup for the West Indies to work on his action.

The Universe Boss made a 45-ball 53 before he was run-out on the penultimate ball of the match as KXIP pulled off an eight-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah. After a cautious start, Gayle and Player of the Match KL Rahul, who scored an unbeaten 61, put on a match-winning partnership of 93 to lift KXIP to only their second win of the season.

RCB had scored 171 for 6, setting KXIP 172 to win.

Afterwards, Gayle was his usual confident self.

“Not really nervous. I mean, come on. It's Universe Boss batting, how can I be nervous,” he said explaining that the pitch was not the best but his focus was on helping his team to a well-needed win.

“It was a very sticky surface, very slow, but it was better batting second,” he said. The team asked me to do a job at three and it wasn't an issue,” he said while explaining the team decision to have him come one down as opposed to playing in his usual spot as opener.

“(The) openers been batting well throughout the tournament and we didn't want to disturb that. Like I said, I was given a job and took it. All I was saying, put some respect on the name [by pointing to his bat sticker]. That's all.”