KL Rahul passes 2,000 runs for Punjab Kings

The 28-year-old, who was dropped on 15 by Ben Stokes, scored 91 runs off 50 deliveries against Rajasthan Royals to bring up the milestone

The Cricketer | 12/04/2021 at 17:29

KL Rahul has become just the second batsman to pass 2,000 runs for Punjab Kings after hitting 91 in his side’s season opener against Rajasthan Royals.

The 28-year-old, who was dropped on 15 by Ben Stokes in the seventh over, brought up the milestone in style, crunching Chris Morris over midwicket for six in the 18th over.

However, he couldn’t cap off his performance with a century, falling to Chetan Sakariya with just four balls remaining to depart for 91 off 50 deliveries. He dispatched seven fours and five sixes during his impressive innings and scored at a strike rate of 182.

The India international has now scored 2,013 runs in just 43 innings for Punjab Kings and creeps ever closer to Australia’s Shaun Marsh, who tops the side’s all-time run-scoring chart with 2,477 runs in 71 appearances.

𝟐KL Rahul ♥️😍

Saddi run-machine 😍#SaddaPunjab #IPL2021 #PunjabKings #CaptainPunjab #RRvPBKS @klrahul11 pic.twitter.com/HeARZgoSBJ
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 12, 2021

Rahul, who last season became the fastest Indian batsman to score 2,000 career IPL runs (60 innings), is the 21st player to pass 2,000 runs for a single franchise, joining the likes of Virat Kohli (RCB), MS Dhoni (CSK) and Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians).

He averages 55.91 for Punjab and has scored two centuries, 18 half-centuries, 180 fours and 85 sixes on his way to passing 2,000 runs.

Other records could tumble this season if Rahul keeps up this form. The reigning orange cap needs just one more half-century to equal Marsh’s record for the most 50+ scores in a Punjab shirt while he is three sixes away from overtaking David Miller as the franchise’s leading maximum hitter.

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