Kings XI seal brilliant win

Mandeep, Miller lead chase with blistering fifties

David Miller and Mandeep Singh’s blazing unbeaten half-centuries set the platform for Kings XI Punjab to claim a seven-wicket win over Pune Warriors in a edge-of-the-seat thriller Indian Premier League match, here on Sunday.

Miller played a scintillating 41-ball 80 knock laced with five fours and an equal number of sixes while Mandeep hit 58-ball 77, decorated with seven fours, to help their team secure victory with just one ball to spare.  

Needing 29 off last two overs, Miller hit two consecutive fours off Dinda in the 19th over to ease down the pressure. Kings XI managed to get 13 runs off the over. With 16 required off the last over, Miller hit two huge sixes off Wright to hand the hosts their third win from six matches.

Pune rode on skipper Aaron Finch’s strokeful half-century and significant contributions from Yuvraj Singh and Luke Wright to post an imposing 185 for four. Finch scored an attractive 42-ball 65 with the help of eight fours and two sixes while Yuvraj hit an impressive 24-ball 34, laced with two fours and three sixes. Wright helped them finish with flourish, courtesy his breezy 34 off 1o balls.

Score board

PUNE WARRIORS: Robin Uthappa c Gilchrist b Awana 37, Aaron Finch c Vohra b Gony 65, Yuvraj Singh c Gurkeerat b Mahmood 34, Steven Smith (not out) 6, Luke Wright c Hussey b Mahmood 34, Abhishek Nayar (not out) 2. Extras (LB-3, W-4) 7. Total (for 4 wkts, 20 overs) 185.

Fall of wickets: 1-83, 2-124, 3-142, 4-180.

Bowling: Praveen Kumar 4-1-36-0, Azhar Mahmood 4-0-42-2, Parvinder Awana 4-0-38-1, Manpreet Gony 4-0-32-1, Piyush Chawla 4-0-34-0.

KINGS XI PUNJAB: Adam Gilchrist c Uthappa b Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4, Mandeep Singh (not out) 77, Azhar Mahmood lbw Ajantha Mendis 0, Manan Vohra b Yuvraj Singh 22, David Miller (not out) 80. Extras (LB-2, W-1) 3. Total (for 3 wkts, 19.5 overs) 186.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-5, 3-58.

Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-31-1, Ajantha Mendis 4-0-38-1, Ashoke Dinda 4-0-37-0, Rahul Sharma 3-0-28-0, Yuvraj Singh 2-0-15-1, Luke Wright 2.5-0-35-0.