IPL 2020: James Neesham explains his ‘boring’ reaction after KXIP’s win

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), on Thursday, October 15, won their second match of the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mohali-based franchise defeated the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by eight wickets and injected some momentum, if not a whole lot, into their campaign. However, the triumph didn’t come easy for KL Rahul and Co.

KXIP lost only two wickets, but despite not losing a whole number of wickets, the match went right down to the last ball. In the last over, they had to score two runs with Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack. The leg-spinner started with a couple of dot balls after which Chris Gayle took a single. Rahul, after playing a dot, tried to take a cheeky single, but Gayle was run out at the striker’s end.

KXIP secure victory after later jitters

With one run needed off the final delivery, Nicholas Pooran, the new batsman, stepped out and hit Chahal for a six downtown. Chasing 172, the contest went right down to the wire, and KXIP’s batting, yet another time, failed to put up a clinical show. The team is currently placed at the bottom of the points table with four points.

In the meantime, a picture is doing the rounds on social media where James Neesham, Punjab’s all-rounder, can be seen, sitting with a glum face despite KXIP going over the finishing line. The team’s coaches, Anil Kumble and Jonty Rhodes were cheering their throat out and clapping.

Seeing Neesham’s reaction, one of the fans asked him about the same. The fan took to Twitter and wrote, “What is the secret behind this totally unperturbed reaction @JimmyNeesh? Bored of too many last ball finishes?”

Neesham knows the art of churning out classy replies and he didn’t disappoint even this time around. He replied to the fan and wrote, “When you’ve been through what I’ve been through you just get a bit numb.”

Here’s James Neesham’s reply:

In the tournament, Neesham was touted to be one of their key players. But he hasn’t quite been able to live up to the expectations. In three games, he has only scored seven runs and picked up a solitary wicket.