<p>Sandeep Sharma scalped three crucial wickets as Kings XI Punjab produced a disciplined bowling display to compensate for their batting failure and notch up a comfortable 23-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match here on Saturday. <br /><br />Asked to take first strike, Punjab were strangled by spinners Sunil Narine (3/24) and Piyush Chawla (3/19), who outfoxed the Kings XI batsmen to restrict them to 131 for nine in their stipulated 20 overs.<br /><br />However, table-toppers Punjab came up with a superb bowling effort to dismiss Kolkata for 109 with 10 balls to spare at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium and continue their good run in the tournament. <br /><br />Pacer Sandeep Sharma (3/21) and spinner Akshar Patel (2/16), Mitchel Johnson (2/22), Lakshmipathy Balaji (1/21) and Rishi Dhawan (1/24) — all got wickets as Punjab registered their fourth win as many matches.<br /><br />Suryakumar Yadav was the top-scorer for Kolkata as he blasted three fours and one six in his 17-ball 34-run innings but it was not enough in the end. <br /><br />Defending 133, Punjab pacers Sharma, Johnson and Balaji rocked the top order to reduce Kolkata to 31-3 in 8 overs.<br /><br />While Sandeep drew first blood, trapping Manish Pandey infront of wicket in his second over, the Punjab pacer came back to dismiss skipper Gautam Gambhir in his third over. <br /><br />Balaji also joined the party, picking up Jacques Kallis on his first delivery in the sixth over.<br /><br />Chris Lynn (13) and Robin Uthappa (19) tried to steady the ship but Patel and Dhawan kept a tight line as Kolkata huffed and puffed to 50 in 11 overs. </p>.<p>The mounting pressure took a toll on Lynn, whose attempt for a big shot saw him losing his stumps off a quick and flat delivery by Patel in the 12th over.<br /><br />Yusuf Pathan also continued to struggle and was sent back by Dhawan when he tried to play across the line and was adjudged LBW, while a direct throw from Bailey ended Uthappa’s stay. Chawla (0) and Narine (6) too failed. <br /><br />Young Yadav tried to lead a fightback but Sandeep came back to dismiss the batsman on the third ball of his last over to end any hope of a turnaround. <br /><br />“The bowlers were outstanding. Probably left 20 or 30 short on a tough wickets but we knew we had a chance if we took early wickets,” Bailey said after the match. <br /><br />“It’s hard to weigh it, but we probably got it wrong. We left it too much to do for the tail enders.”</p>
<p>Sandeep Sharma scalped three crucial wickets as Kings XI Punjab produced a disciplined bowling display to compensate for their batting failure and notch up a comfortable 23-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match here on Saturday. <br /><br />Asked to take first strike, Punjab were strangled by spinners Sunil Narine (3/24) and Piyush Chawla (3/19), who outfoxed the Kings XI batsmen to restrict them to 131 for nine in their stipulated 20 overs.<br /><br />However, table-toppers Punjab came up with a superb bowling effort to dismiss Kolkata for 109 with 10 balls to spare at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium and continue their good run in the tournament. <br /><br />Pacer Sandeep Sharma (3/21) and spinner Akshar Patel (2/16), Mitchel Johnson (2/22), Lakshmipathy Balaji (1/21) and Rishi Dhawan (1/24) — all got wickets as Punjab registered their fourth win as many matches.<br /><br />Suryakumar Yadav was the top-scorer for Kolkata as he blasted three fours and one six in his 17-ball 34-run innings but it was not enough in the end. <br /><br />Defending 133, Punjab pacers Sharma, Johnson and Balaji rocked the top order to reduce Kolkata to 31-3 in 8 overs.<br /><br />While Sandeep drew first blood, trapping Manish Pandey infront of wicket in his second over, the Punjab pacer came back to dismiss skipper Gautam Gambhir in his third over. <br /><br />Balaji also joined the party, picking up Jacques Kallis on his first delivery in the sixth over.<br /><br />Chris Lynn (13) and Robin Uthappa (19) tried to steady the ship but Patel and Dhawan kept a tight line as Kolkata huffed and puffed to 50 in 11 overs. </p>.<p>The mounting pressure took a toll on Lynn, whose attempt for a big shot saw him losing his stumps off a quick and flat delivery by Patel in the 12th over.<br /><br />Yusuf Pathan also continued to struggle and was sent back by Dhawan when he tried to play across the line and was adjudged LBW, while a direct throw from Bailey ended Uthappa’s stay. Chawla (0) and Narine (6) too failed. <br /><br />Young Yadav tried to lead a fightback but Sandeep came back to dismiss the batsman on the third ball of his last over to end any hope of a turnaround. <br /><br />“The bowlers were outstanding. Probably left 20 or 30 short on a tough wickets but we knew we had a chance if we took early wickets,” Bailey said after the match. <br /><br />“It’s hard to weigh it, but we probably got it wrong. We left it too much to do for the tail enders.”</p>