JOIN USProfessional Pune put it past Punjab
The Pune outfit, owned by Sahara and led by India’s World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, dished out a clinical all-round display to surge to a convincing win with 6.5 overs to spare.
They first restricted Kings XI to 112 for eight, after having left the visitors tottering at 45 for six, and then chased the target down without the slightest problem on a bouncy track.
The run-chase was put on course by a 60-run second wicket stand between Jesse Ryder (31) and Mithun Manhas (35) after the dismissal of Graeme Smith in the very first ball.
Then, Robin Uthappa (22 not out) and Yuvraj (21 not out) put on an unbroken stand of 45 runs for the fourth wicket to complete the job in style, both clobbering sixes towards the end to entertain the crowd.
Earlier, a double strike each by Pune’s opening bowlers Alfonso Thomas and Shrikant Wagh left Punjab staggering at nine for four within the first four overs.
The top four batsmen, including former Australian great and skipper Adam Gilchrist, were packed off cheaply by South African Thomas and Wagh. Only a late charge by another South African -- Ryan McLaren, who made a half century, propelled Punjab past the century mark.
All-rounder McLaren made an unbeaten 51 in 43 balls with six fours and a six after coming in at number seven, besides putting on 35 runs in 52 balls with fellow left-hander Piyush Chawla (15), who was the second-highest scorer.
For Pune, 22-year-old Vidarbha left arm seamer Wagh finished with impressive figures of three for 16 while 34-year-old Cape Town-born Thomas picked up two for 27.
Pune started the run-chase on a dismal note by losing opener Smith in the first ball. The South African captain drove Praveen Kumar’s first ball straight into the hands of short-cover fielder McLaren.
But any hopes of a collapse like Punjab’s were abolished as Ryder and Manhas batted in a forthright manner to put on 60 runs for the second wicket in 46 balls to put their side well on way to the victory target.
SCORE BOARD
KINGS XI PUNJAB: Gilchrist c Uthappa b Thomas 1; Marsh c Sharma b Wagh 1; Valthatyc Ryder b Thomas 6; Kaarthick c Sharma b Wagh 0; Nayar c Yuvraj b Ryder 12; Sunny (run out) 12; McLaren (not out) 51; Chawla c Uthappa b Wagh 15; Kumar c Uthappa b Parnell 3; Rimmington (not out) 1; Extras (LB-4, W-5, NB-1) 10;Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 112.
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-5, 3-9, 4-9, 5-36, 6-45, 7-80, 8-102.
Bowling: Thomas 4-0-27-2, Wagh 3-0-16-3, Parnell 4-0-20-1, Kartik 1-0-10-0, Ryder 3-1-9-1, Manhas 3-0-14-0, Sharma 2-0-12-0.
PUNE WARRIORS: Smith c McLaren b Kumar 0; Ryder c Gilchrist b McLaren 31; Manhas c Gilchrist b Nayar 35; Uthappa (not out) 22; Yuvraj (not out) 21; Extras (LB-1, W-3) 4; Total (for 3 wkts, 13.1 overs) 113.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-60, 3-68.
Bowling: Praveen 3-0-28-1, Rimmington 3-0-19-0, McLaren 3-0-26-1, Chawla 1-0-12-0, Nayar 3.1-0-27-1.