Sport

Kings XI Punjab wins a thriller

— Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

STERLING KNOCK: Shaun Marsh’s superb half-century was crucial in Kings XI Punjab’s win over Deccan Chargers on Friday.

MOHALI: Amid mounting excitement, a cool-headed Mahela Jayawardene and a determined Piyush Chawla finished the job for Kings XI Punjab against Deccan Chargers.

In the end, the presence of Jayawardene in the middle proved important for the host as he helped soothe Chawla’s nerves who put the finishing touches in the final over to complete a six-wicket victory in the DLF-Indian Premier League at the PCA Stadium here on Friday.

The duo also made sure that the good work of openers Shaun Marsh and comeback-man Kumar Sangakkara did not prove futile as Kings XI chased 176 needed for its eighth victory. Marsh once again opened the doors of victory, reaching his fifth IPL half-century.

Marsh was declared Man of the Match.

Sangakkara, declared match-fit this morning, dominated the opening-wicket stand of 84 with a 25-ball 50 studded with two sixes and seven boundaries. He holed out at long-off while attempting to slog the friendly off-spinners from Rohit Sharma.

Earlier, asked to bat, Chargers reached 175 for four thanks mainly to the contrasting half-centuries from Adam Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma, following a brisk 44 by Herschelle Gibbs.

Considering Chargers’ poor bowling resources and Kings XI’s rock-solid top-order, the tally still looked inadequate. Once again, Rohit came good with a quick-fire 50. He hoisted four sixes and three boundaries in his 27-ball cameo after openers Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs raised 79 runs in 11 overs.

Gibbs made his return to the squad a memorable one with a 34-ball 44, his highest score in the competition. He hit three sixes — two off Piyush Chawla and one off Romesh Powar — and his three boundaries came in succession off S. Sreesanth in the fifth over.

On this day, Gilchrist chose to play the second fiddle to Gibbs and opened out only after the departure of the latter. He hoisted Yuvraj for a six on his way to his third half-century in the IPL.

Dropped by Kumar Sangakkara, Gilchrist was bowled off the next delivery by Powar. Later, due to Rohit and Chamara Silva, who hit a six and two fours in his unbeaten 10-ball 23 that Chargers scored 96 runs in the last 10 overs.

The scores:

Deccan Chargers: A. Gilchrist b Powar 50, H. Gibbs b Gagandeep Singh 44, Rohit b V.R.V. Singh 50, Y. Venugopal Rao c Chawla b Sreesanth 2, C. Silva (not out) 23, S. Styris (not out) 1; Extras (lb-4, w-1): 5; Total (for four wkts. in 20 overs): 175.

Fall of wickets: 1-79, 2-111, 3-149, 4-163, 5-149.

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Sreesanth 4-0-29-1, V.R.V. Singh 4-0-40-1, Powar 4-0-20-1, Chawla 4-0-31-0, Gagandeep 3-0-33-1, Yuvraj 1-0-18-0.

Kings XI Punjab: S. Marsh c Gibbs b Styris 60, K. Sangakkara c Silva b Rohit 50, Yuvraj Singh c R.P. Singh b Ojha 17, Luke Pomersbach c Rohit b Ojha 13, M. Jayawardene (not out) 14, P. Chawla (not out) 16, Extras (lb-3, w-5): 8; Total (for four wkts. in 19.3 overs): 178.

Fall of wickets: 1-84, 2-117, 3-137, 4-149.

Deccan Chargers bowling: R.P. Singh 3.3-0-37-0, Vijaykumar 2-0-24-0, Rao 2-0-23-0, Styris 4-0-36-1, Rohit 4-0-25-1, Ojha 4-0-30-2.

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