Kings XI Punjab registered their first win of the Indian Premier League season nine with a six-wicket win over beat Rising Pune Supergiants in Mohali.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Batting first, Pune post a challenging total of 152, thanks to Faf du Plessis' 67 runs. Steven Smith with 38 runs was the second highest scorer for the visitors. Mohit Sharma took three wickets while Sandeep Sharma took two.


In reply, Punjab reached the target losing four wickets in 18.4 overs. Openers Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra registered their respective fifties, before Glenn Maxwell hit 32. Murugan Ashwin took three wickets for Pune.


KINGS XI PUNJAB INNINGS; TARGET 153


Over 18.4 || Score 153/4 (Maxwell 32; Saha 4)


Ishant Sharma did well to cover some ground at long leg, but a drop catch. Difficult chance. Two runs from it. And that happened off the third ball of the over.


Taking advantage of it, Glenn Maxwell hit the winning four through the cover.


Thisara Perera was the bowler, in this third over.


Over 18 || Score 144/4 (Maxwell 24; Saha 3)


Then Glen Maxwell changed the equation completely. 13 runs from the over, with a four thanks to a misfield by Ankit Sharma at fine leg, and a huge six over long-on.


Ravichandran Ashwin completed his bowling, for figures of 4-0-27-0.


KIngs XI Punjab need 9 more runs from 12 balls.


Over 17 || Score 131/4 (Maxwell 13; Saha 1)


Murugan Ashwin showing his worth. The former net-bowler for now suspended Chennai Super Kings has given Pune a reason to fight.


A dot ball to Glenn Maxwell, then a tossed up delivery to David Miller, and the wicket. Caught at lonn-off by Kevin Pietersen.


WICKET: David Miller c Kevin Pietersen b Murugan Ashwin 7 (6b)


The over indeed finished with a flurry of runs though, with Maxwell hitting a six over the mid-wicket boundary, and a four over the cover.


13 runs and a wicket from the over. Murugan's figures: 4-0-36-3.


Equation now: 22 runs from 18 balls. Wriddhiman Saha is the new man.


Over 16 || Score 118/3 (Miller 7; Maxwell 1)


Thisara Perera returned for his second over. And much better effort from the Sri Lankan all-rounder. Six runs from the over.


Punjab has scored 32 runs in the last five overs, losing three wickets. Now they need another 35 runs from 24 balls.


Over 15 || Score 112/3 (Miller 2; Maxwell 0)


An eventful over. Two wickets and a fifty too.


Murugan Ashwin started the over with the wicket of Shaun Marsh, bowled. The Australian wanted to make room for a shot, but missed. And gone.


WICKET: Shaun Marsh b Murugan Ashwin 4 (6b)


New man David Miller took a single off the next ball, which was followed by two more singles.


Then, Murali Vijay hit a six over the mid-wicket boundary. A pull shot with some power. He thus reached fifty.


But the very next ball, he was stumped. Brilliant delivery from the spinner.


WICKET: Murali Vijay c MS Dhoni b Murgan Ashwin 53 (49b)


Skipper Miller has a new company in Glenn Maxwell, and the match is alive, for sure.


Over 14 || Score 103/1 (Vijay 46; Marsh 4)


Another tidy over for the fielding team. Ravichandran Ashwin leaked three singles.


Kings XI Punjab need another 50 runs from 36 balls.


Over 13 || Score 100/1 (Vijay 45; Marsh 2)


Finally, a wicket for Pune. Ankit Sharma broke the 97-run opening stand with the wicket of Manan Vohra, who reached his fifty in the previous over.


Vohra wanted to play a sweep shot, half-heartedly, but missed the straighter from Ankit. LBW. Easy one for the umpire.


WICKET: Manan Vohra lbw b Ankit Sharma 51 (33b)


That happened off the second ball of the over. Shaun Marsh is the new man. Four runs and a single from it.


Over 12 || Score 96/0 (Vijay 43; Vohra 51)


Manan Vohra  reached his fifty of 31 balls. That happened off the third ball of the over, with a single.


Murugan Ashwin's second over started with a four to Vohra, followed by a double.


Three singles off the last three balls, and 10 runs from the over.


Over 11 || Score 86/0 (Vijay 41; Vohra 43)


Sri Lankan all-rounder to a nightmarish start to his bowling spell. Three fours to Mana Vohra off the first three balls.


First one, a loose delivery on the leg, which Vohra whipped in the air. No protection at fine leg and four.


Second one, a pitched up, which was driven with disdain over the cover for a four.


Then a full toss. And a gleeful Vohra smashed it behind square.


Three singles more, and 15 runs from the over.


Over 10 || Score 71/0 (Vijay 40; Vohra 29)


First boundary in four overs, as Murali Vijay played a delectable cut shot which went into the vacant third man boundary.


That happened off the third ball of the over.


The over started with a single to Manan Vohra, which was followed by a dot.


A dot off the fourth ball, then a double to Vijay. A dot ball to end the over. And that was Irfan Phatan's first over.


Kings XI Punjab need another 83 runs from 60 balls.


Over 9 || Score 64/0 (Vijay 34; Vohra 28)


Ankit Sharma continued for his third over. Busy one, lots of running.


A single to Murali Vijay, followed by a 2, then MS Dhoni's footwork came into play. Manan Vohra played a late cut, but Dhoni stressed his right leg to stop the ball beating him. A dot ball.


A double then a single to end the over, which leaked six runs.


Over 8 || Score 58/0 (Vijay 33; Vohra 23)


Murugan Ashwin on. A dot ball to Manan Vohra, then followed by four singles as batsmen started to pick the acres of gaps. A dot to Vohra to end the over.


Good one for the fielding team, with four singles from it. But skipper MS Dhoni's real concern would be the wicket, or the lack of it. 


With 95 runs more for the batting team, Dhoni need his bowlers to pick wicket.


Over 7 || Score 54/0 (Vijay 31; Vohra 21)


Slow left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma returned for his second over. His first over went for 12 runs. But this time, he did just about enough to make skipper MS Dhoni happy.


Just four singles from it.


Over 6 || Score 50/0 (Vijay 29; Vohra 19)


Ravichandran Ashwin continued for his second over. A dot ball to Murali Vijay, followed by two singles.


A dot ball, then Murali Vijay played a brilliant cut shot which beat the fielder at point for a four. A shorter delivery and the desired result. But the execution was classic.


A single to end the over, and seven from it.


Kings XI Punjab need another 103 runs from 14 overs.


Power-play overs done. TIME-OUT


Over 5 || Score 43/0 (Vijay 23; Vohra 18)


Despite leaking 10 runs in his previous over, MS Dhoni has opted to continued with Ishant Sharma. Good start. A dot ball, then a single to Murali Vijay.


A dot to Manan Vohra, which was followed by a half-volley creamed. A lofted shot, went for a four over mid-off fielder.


It was the first of three fours.


The second one, from a late cut which beat the fielder at backward point.


Then the third one, a brilliant cover drive which crashed in to the hoardings.


13 runs from the over.


Over 4 || Score 30/0 (Vijay 22; Vohra 6)


With pressure from Murali Vijay, Mahendra Singh Dhoni introduced his weapon of choice Ravichandran Ashwin into the attack.


A quick one, as Ashwin rushed through the bowling routine conceding only four singles -- two each to Manan Vohra and Vijay.


Kings XI Punjab need another 123 runs from 16 overs.


Over 3 || Score 26/0 (Vijay 20; Vohra 4)


Ishant Sharma continued for his second over. Like in his first over, two dot balls to Murali Vijay, to start the third over.


But the Punjab opener picked the bouncer pretty well and pulled over the mid-wicket fielder, and another four.


Ishant responded well, with a super slow bouncer. Vijay anticipated a faster one, but him waiting to glide .


The next delivery, Vijay showed his pure class by launching a massive six over the deep extra cover. He made enough room available by shifting the stance and what a timing.


10 runs from the over.


Over 2 || Score 16/0 (Vijay 10; Vohra 4)


Spin for Rising Pune Supergiants early on. Ankit Sharma started with two dot balls, lucky that the second one was fielded at extra cover. It was followed by a wide.


Then the first opening from imperious Murali Vijay. He played a lofted drive for the first four. to long-on boundary. Another wide followed, then second four.


This time, Vijay came down the pitch and picked the ball from its pitch, four to long-off boundary.


A single and a two more and 13 runs from the over.


Over 1 || Score 3/0 (Vijay 1; Vohra 2)


Ishant Sharma started the proceedings with the new ball. Two dot balls to Punjab opener Murali Vijay, the a single off the third ball to open the account.


Manan Vohra took a double next ball, played with an intention to clear the mid-wicket fielder, but settled for a two only.


Two more dot balls, and three runs from the first over.


RPS Innings


Over 20 | Score 152/7


Mohit bowled the last over. Excellent stuff from the Indian pacer, as he dismissed Faf and Dhoni. Pathan was run out on the last ball. KXIP restrict RPS to 152/7.


 I Pathan run out 2 (2b)


MS Dhoni c Maxwell b Sharma 1 (2b)


F du Plessis c & b Sharma 67 (53b)


Over 19 | Score 149/4


Abbott bowled his final over. Faf finds the gap between long on and deep midwicket to score yet another four.


Over 18 | Score 140/4


Mohit Sharma bowled the 18th. Horizontal bat to the long-off boundary adds four more to Faf's account. The Indian pacer got the wicket of Smith on his fifth delivery. In comes MS Dhoni.


S Smith c Miller b Sharma 38 (26b)


Over 17 | Score 131/3


Abbott came back to bowl. Smith launched a fierce attack on the South African with three hits to the fence. RPS need more of the same in the remaining three.


Over 16 | Score 116/3


Sahu bowled his final over. The leg-spinner finished his quota with a tidy over. Seven runs came from the 16th.


Over 15 | Score 109/3


Axar continued. Faf picked up a single off the first ball to get to his fifty. Smith scored his second four in the cow corner region.


Over 14 | Score 101/3


Sahu continued. Smith flicked the leg-spinner's full toss between deep midwicket and long-on for a one-bounce four.


Over 13 | Score 92/3


Axar came back into the attack. Like Sahu, the left-arm spinner too made a good comeback after being hit for three fours in his 1st over. Only five came off his second. Punjab have fought their way back into this match after initial attack by KP-Faf duo.


Over 12 | Score 87/3


Sahu was brought back in. The leg-spinner made a good comeback after being punished in his first over. 5 runs came off that over.


Over 11 | Score 82/3


Sharma bowled his final over. Perera holed out to long-off. RPS lose their third wicket. New man in is Steve Smith.


T Perera c Sharma b Sandeep Sharma 8 (9b)


Over 10 | Score 76/2


Maxwell bowled the 10th over. Superb start from the Australian, conceding just 3 runs.


Over 9 | Score 73/2


Sharma bowled the 9th over. Perera pulled the second ball behind square for a four.


Over 8 | Score 65/2


Abbott bowled the eight over. He dismissed KP after Manan Vohra pulled off a blinder at midwicket.


KP Pietersen c Vohra b Abbott 15 (15b)


Over 7 | Score 53/1


Mohit Sharma was brought into the attack. KP picked up a single to get to 1,000 IPL runs. Only 4 runs came off  that over. Good start for the Indian pacer.


Over 6 | Score 49/1


Pardeep Sahu was introduced into the attack. The leg-spinner was welcomed by Faf with two hits to the fence. RPS are racing here in Mohali.


Over 5 | Score 38/1


Sharma continued. Another good over for RPS as both batsmen scored a boundary each. Faf an KP are showing great intent out in the middle.


Over 4 | Score 27/1


Axar Patel was introduced into the attack. The batsmen immediately put pressure on him, scoring three fours. Two came off Pietersen's blade, while Du Plessis got the other.


Over 3 | Score 13/1


Sharma continued. The pacer sent Rahane back in to the hut. The ball, off the inside edge, crashed onto the stumps. Kevin Pietersen the new man in.


A Rahane b Sandeep Sharma 9 (11b)


Over 2 | Score 10/0


Kyle Abbott bowled the second over. The South African hit the right areas, conceding six runs from his first.


Over 1 | Score 4/0


Sandeep Sharma bowled the first over. The pacer troubled Ajinkya Rahane with his inswingers. Good start from the home side.


Toss and team news


RPS XI: F du Plessis, A Rahane, K Pietersen, S Smith, M Dhoni (C) (W), T Perera, I Pathan, R Ashwin, I Sharma, A Sharma, M Ashwin


KXIP XI: M Vijay, M Vohra, S Marsh, D Miller (C), G Maxwell, A Patel, W Saha (W), M Sharma, K Abbott, P Sahu, S Sharma


MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first.


New Delhi: Mahendra Singh Dhoni and co need to bounce back after loss in the last game to get their IPL 2016 campaign back on track. On the other hand, David Miller's men will be looking for their first win of the tournament.