Kings XI Punjab stayed alive in the race for the playoffs with a thrilling 14-run win over the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali on Tuesday.
Put in to bat, Punjab did not have the best of starts but they had a course-correction of sorts, thanks to a steady 38 from Wriddhiman Saha and an explosive 44 from captain Glenn Maxwell which took them 167/6.
KKR got off to an explosive start, as has been the trend this season, with Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn putting on 39 in 22 balls and 61/1 in the Powerplay. But Punjab fought back with the double blow of Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa. Lynn and Manish Pandey put up a good partnership but the required run rate kept rising and both of them were dismissed in the 18th over. Punjab held their nerve with some steady death bowling to keep KKR to 153/6 and stay alive in the playoffs race.
KKR peg Punjab back
It was a steady, if not furious start from Kings XI Punjab after they were put in. Martin Guptill and Manan Vohra got them to 28/0 after overs. But just when Manan Vohra looked like he was ready to blast off, Umesh Yadav dismissed him with one that rose and Sunil Narine had Guptill leg-before-wicket next over. Colin de Grandhomme bowled two tight overs and Chris Woakes destroyed Shaun Marsh’s stumps with a delectable delivery. Punjab were 56/3 and nder pressure.
The Big (but brief) show
From 56/3 in 8.8 over, Punjab needed some fireworks, some bluster. They got the Big Show. Maxwell started off slowly in his first 10 balls but then hammered Grandhomme for two sixes. He bid his time again but took a liking to Kuldeep Yadap, giving him an almighty whack for two big sixes. Yadav got him the next ball as he holed out for a 25-ball 44, but the run rate had gone up to 7.6 from 6.3 when he had come in. Kings XI Punjab scored 104 off their last 10 overs to finish with 167/6. It ultimately proved vital, KKR got only 74 in their last 10 overs.
KKR’s Powerplay magic continues
Sure, it wasn’t 105 in six overs again, nor was another fastest IPL fifty made. But Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn did just what was needed. The first went for 14, the second for 11 and three overs in, Kolkata were already sitting comfortably at 31/0. Sunil Narine was dismissed for a 10-ball 18 but he had done what was required of him. Lynn carried on his merry ways and brought up his third IPL fifty in four matches this season.
To show the variety of his game, Lynn cut a mature figure after his fifty, aware of the quick loss of wickets at the other end. He bided his time, chose his shot selection wisely and looked set to take KKR home in a nervy chase. Unfortunately, he ran himself out for a 52-ball 84 with with KKR needing 36 from 16.
Rahul Tewatia gives Punjab hope
Kings XI Punjab were given a glimmer of hope by leg-spinner Rahul Tewatia. The 23-year-old, playing his first match this season and his fifth overall in the IPL, came out of nowhere, gave away only three runs in his first over and then took out Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa in a gap of three balls, leaving KKR in a spot of bother at 79/3 after 10. He kept things very steady and finished with figures of 2/18 in his four.
Axar does a Jonty
But more than Tewatia, it was Axar Patel who launched Punjab’s tournament. He sprinted from deep mid-wicket, dived full length and took Uthappa’s catch inches from the ground. He ensured he took Pandey’s catch. Then he pulled off the big wicket: a fast accurate throw to dismiss a well-set Chris Lynn.
Brief scores:
Kings XI Punjab 167/6 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 44, Wriddhiman Saha 38; Chris Woakes 2/20, Kuldeep Yadav 2/34) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 153/6 in 20 overs (Chris Lynn 84, Sunil Narine 18; Rahul Tewatia 2/18, Mohit Sharma 2/24) by 14 runs