JOIN USHashim Amla played a brilliant knock to notch up his second century of the ongoing IPL and power Kings XI Punjab to a challenging 189 for three against Gujarat Lions, here today.
Amla, thus, became the second batsman after Virat Kohli to register two centuries in a single IPL season.
Amla made 104 off just 60 balls with the help of eight fours and five huge hits over the fence to take Kings XI forward.
He was ably supported by Shaun Marsh (58 off 43 balls) as the duo shared 125 runs for the second wicket to set the platform for the total.
Towards the end, skipper Glenn Maxwell remained unbeaten on 20 off 11 balls. Sent into bat, Kings XI lost Martin Guptill in the fifth delivery of the innings, caught by Basil Thampi of Pradeep Sangwan (1/28) as the batsman top-edged a short delivery.
The early fall of wicket had an impact on Kings XI as the hosts found the going tough initially and the first four overs just yielded 21 runs. But a stroke of luck for Amla suddenly changed the script for Kings XI as Ravindra Jadeja dropped a difficult chance at backward point off the bowling of Basil Thampi.
Thereafter, it was a complete Amla and Shaun Marsh show as the duo got into the attacking mode after the initial silence to take Kings XI forward against Gujarat's inexperienced and lacklustre bowling attack.
The duo struck boundaries at will as the notched up their 100-run stand for the second wicket in the 13th over.
Amla brought up his fifty off 35 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six, while Marsh's half century came off 37 balls during which he struck five fours.
Dhawal Kulkarni (1/24) finally broke the partnership, dismissing Marsh in the 16th over caught at long-on by Finch.
Bu Amla continued his onslaught and cleared Kulkarni over the long-on for his third six of the match.
Amla brought up his century in style as he creamed Thampi over cover boundary for a flat six.
But he departed in the very next ball, LBW to Thampi as he missed a yorker.