Punjab beat Kochi to stay in play-offs hunt

Tags: IPL T20 2011, Kochi Tuskers Kerala v Kings XI Punjab 57th Match at Indore - May 13, 2011, Kings XI Punjab, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, IPL 4

Published on: May 13, 2011

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On a high after upstaging table-toppers Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab took on the Kochi Tuskers here on Friday, with Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist winning the toss and electing to bowl first.

RP Singh's four-wicket haul went in vain as Dinesh Karthik (69) and Shaun Marsh (42) shouldered Punjab's chase of 179 and helped the visitors beat Kochi Tuskers Kerala by six wickets here on Sunday.

RP dismissed both Paul Valthaty and Adam Gilchrist early in the chase to put the visitors in trouble.

But what happened with Paul Marsh and Dinesh Karthik on the crease was nothing short of pyrotechnics as the duo hit fours and sixes at will.

Karthik was especially severe on the bowlers, bringing up his fifty in just 24 balls with five fours and four sixes.

Though RP Singh removed Karthik (69 off 33) immediately after Mahela brought him back, the damage had already been done.

Earlier, captain Mahela Jayawardene led from the front with a strokeful 76 as Kochi Tuskers Kerala post 178 for seven in their crucial match.

Opening with Brendon McCullum (32), Jayawardene held the innings together with a responsible 52-ball knock which was studded with eight fours and two sixes in KTK's 'home' match at Holkar Stadium in the first IPL tie here.

KTK made a rollicking start after being put into bat, with openers Jayawardene and McCullum stitching 93 runs in just 8.4 overs on a batting-friendly pitch.

At the halfway stage, KTK were 103 for one and they looked like crossing 200 only to fritter away the superb start and ended less than 180.

Jayawardene was run out in the last ball of the innings while running for a second as his side added just 75 in the second 10 overs while losing six wickets.

For KXIP, who made a fine comeback in the second part of the KTK innings, left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma was the most successful bowler with 2/32 while Ryan Harris, Shalabh Srivastava and Piyush Chawla took a wicket each.

Jayawardene and McCullum were in a punishing mood, hitting the KXIP bowlers all over the park in the initial overs on a ground which had short boundaries and fast outfield.

The duo reached to 50 in just 5.2 overs and KTK were 62 for no loss after the first powerplay of six overs.

Bipul Sharma finally gave KXIP the breakthrough in the ninth over removing McCullum, LBW after the batsman missed the line while playing a sweep shot. McCullum hit two fours and as many sixes in his 27-ball stay at crease.

Ravindra Jadeja (17), who came in at the fall of McCullum, smote Chawla for a huge six in the second ball he faced but was lucky to get a reprieve as he was dropped by Paul Valthaty at the slip in the third delivery.

KTK maintained their 10-run per over rate as they reached 103 for one after the halfway mark and Jayawardene reached to his fifty in style with a six off Chawla in the 12th over.

His fifty, third in IPL 4 from 12 matches, came from just 30 balls and studded with six fours and three sixes.

KTK lost momentum after the fall of the first wicket with Jadeja out LBW in the 14th over off Chawla and David Hussey (4) following suit after two overs, holing out to Shaun Marsh at midwicket.

Scoring rate dropped and despite Owais Shah's 12-ball 23, which was studded with two sixes and a four, KTK could not go past their highest total - 184 for two against Mumbai - while batting first in the tournament so far.

Shah was run out in the penultimate over while going for a cheeky second run.

Parthiv Patel, who was today named in the Indian ODI squad for the West Indies tour, was out for a duck in the first ball he faced as he failed to connect a Shalabh Srivastava full toss properly to offer a simple catch to Dinesh Karthik.

On a high after upstaging table-toppers Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab took on the Kochi Tuskers here on Friday, with Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist winning the toss and electing to bowl first.

Punjab re-ignited their slim chances of making it to the play-offs with an unlikely victory over Mumbai and Gilchrist would hope that his team carries on the momentum against Mahela Jayawardene-led Kochi who have had a roller-coaster ride so far.

After a couple of back-to-back wins, Kochi were handed a rather crushing nine-wicket defeat by Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last match.

One bad news for Punjab was the illness of Praveen Kumar, who was replaced by leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

Kochi too made a couple of changes. Romesh Pawar made way for S Sreesanth, while Owais Shah replaced Michael Klinger.

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