Mohali, March 25: Kings XI Punjab committed hara-kiri losing seven wickets for 45 runs to handout an unlikely 31-run victory to a resilient Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League clash at the Punjab Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.
Looking good to chase down the target of 184, the host slipped from a promising-looking 107 for two in the 11th over to lose seven wickets for the addition of just 45 runs.
Skipper Kumara Sangakkara, looking to justify his decision to field, came out as an opener in the company of inform Ravi Bopara and gave the Punjab innings a flying start. The first six overs, including the sixth bowled by Shane Warne, produced 76 runs for the wicket of Sangakkara. While Bopara’s role was to rotate the strike while looking for every opportunity to score, Sangakkara and later Manvinder Bisla went for the big hits to keep Punjab’s run-rate at over 10 runs an over.
Thereafter some mindless batting spelt doom for Punjab.
Warne lured Bisla to his doom at midwicket and Yuvraj Singh, dropped by Lumb on 15 off Trivedi, pressed his luck too hard and fell in the same over after offering Fazal his second catch.
Bopara failed to read a slower one from Munaf and offered a catch at mid-on and two deliveries later, Irfan Pathan was run out after some smart work by Abhishek Jhunjhunwala from covers. Mohammad Kaif reinforced the belief of being a misfit in this form of the game before falling leg-before.
An ambitious Piyush Chawla was taken at short-third man and left Mahela Jayawardene with the tail that did not promise to wag.
Earlier, Rajasthan posted a challenging 183 for five with Man-of the Match Adam Voges providing the much-needed thrust in closing overs.
After a swift start provided by South African Michael Lumb and Naman Ojha, Faiz Fazal anchored at one end while Yusuf Pathan and Adam Voges took turn to keep the run-rate over eight runs an over.
Lumb, looking most impressive with his selection of strokes, missed a big knock when stumped smartly by Sangakkara. Yusuf , too, did not hurt Punjab much and holed out to Yuvraj after hitting a six and a boundary. Dropped by younger brother Irfan when on seven, Yusuf failed to make the most of the reprieve.
Voges, who arrived at the exit of Yusuf, counter-attacked to add 60 runs off 37 deliveries for the fifth wicket, with Fazal happy to play the second fiddle.
The scores:
Rajasthan Royals: M. Lumb st. Sangakkara b Chawla 41 (30b, 7×4), N. Ojha c Srivastav b Sreesanth 13 (10b, 3×4), F. Fazal (run out) 45 (38b, 5×4, 1×6), Y. Pathan c Yuvraj b Srivastav 28 (19b, 1×4, 1×6), A. Voges (not out) 45 (24b, 5×4, 1×6), P. Dogra (run out) 1 (1b), A. Jhunjhunwala (not out) 0 (0b), Extras (lb-3, nb-2, w-5) 10, Total (for five wickets in 20 overs) 183.
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-60, 3-111, 4-171, 5-179.
Kings XI Punjab bowling: I. Pathan 4-0-45-0, S. Sreesanth 3-0-20-1, S. Srivastav 4-0-49-1, J. Theron 4-0-25-1, P. Chawla 4-0-29-1, Yuvraj 1-0-12-0.
Kings XI Punjab: R. Bopara c Trivedi b Patel 25, (26b, 4×1), K. Sangakkara c Fazal b Tait 29 (13b, 6×4), M. Bisla c Lumb b Warne 35 (18b, 4×2, 2×6), Yuvraj Singh c Fazal b Trivedi 15, (13b, 1×6), M. Jayawardene c Jhunjhunwala b Trivedi 23 (22b, 1×6), I. Pathan (run out) 1, M. Kaif lbw b Yusuf 8 (8b, 1×4), P.Chawla c Tait b Yusuf 8 (8b, 1×4), J.Theron c Patel b Tait 2 (4b), S. Sreesanth (not out) 0 (2b), S. Srivastava b Tait 0 (1b), Extras (lb-2, nb-1, w-3) 6, Total (in 19.1 overs) 152.
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-85, 3-107, 4-113, 5-115, 6-126, 7-136, 8-140, 9-152.
Rajasthan Royals bowling: M. Patel 4-0-43-1, S. Tait 3.1-0-22-3, S. Warne 4-0-39-1, S. Trivedi 4-0-25-2, Voges 2-0-12-0, Yusuf Pathan 2-0-9-2.
—–Agencies