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Kings XI stay in contention for playoffs after superb bowling performance

Sport360 staff 23:38 09/05/2017

A superb bowling performance from Kings XI Punjab saw them keep their playoff hopes alive after registering a 14-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Tuesday.

All-rounder Rahul Tewatia was playing his first game of the season and he produced the spell that changed the momentum of a match which looked to be going against Punjab.

After Sunil Narine [18 off 10 balls] and Chris Lynn [84 off 52] had got Kolkata off to a flier during their chase of 168, Tewatia conceded just 18 runs from four overs to put the brakes firmly on the visitors’ innings.

At 78-1 in the 10th over, Kolkata looked to be in control of the game, but Tewatia would take the key wickets of Gautam Gambhir [8 off 18 balls] and Robin Uthappa [0 off 1 ball] within three deliveries to bring Punjab right back into the contest.

The Kings XI’s pace trio of Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma, and Matt Henry were brilliant at the back-end of the innings as the hosts conceded just 35 runs in the last five overs to complete the win and stay in contention for a top four finish.

All this meant that Lynn’s magnificent knock for Kolkata went in vain. The Australian batsman has been in great form lately and that carried on here as he hit eight fours and three sixes during his stay at the crease.

It required an exceptional throw from Axar Patel to run Lynn out in the 18th over which swung the match decisively in Punjab’s favour.

Earlier, some useful contributions from Glenn Maxwell [44 off 25 balls] and Wriddhiman Saha [38 off 33 balls] took Kings XI to 167-6 after they were put into bat by Kolkata captain Gambhir.

The duo added a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket which proved to be very crucial in the end.

Chris Woakes and Kuldeep Yadav were among the wickets for the Knight Riders, with both bowlers picking up two wickets each.

Punjab now have 12 points from 12 matches and need to win their last two games to have any chance of reaching the playoffs. Qualifying is not entirely in their hands, as, if Rising Pune Supergiant, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata each manage to win even one of their remaining games, then it’s curtains for Maxwell’s side.

On the other hand, Kolkata are still second with 16 points from 13 games. Although they are still not mathematically confirmed for the playoffs, their net run-rate should see them through unless they suffer a huge defeat in their last league match.

BRIEF SCORES

Kings XI Punjab 167-6, 20 overs [Maxwell 44, Saha 38, Woakes 2-20] beat Kolkata Knight Riders 153-6, 20 overs [Lynn 84, Tewatia 2-18, Mohit 2-24] by 14 runs.

Player of the Match – Mohit Sharma.

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