Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Kings XI stay in play-off hunt with upset win over Mumbai

Munaf Patel's five-wicket haul went in vain as table toppers Mumbai Indians produced a spineless batting display to slump to a humiliating 76-run defeat at the hands of Kings XI Punjab in an Indian Premier League match here today.
Chasing a challenging 164-run target, Mumbai lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for just 87 runs in 12.5 overs at the Punjab Cricket Association ground.
Young left-arm spinner Bharghav Bhatt was the pick of the Kings XI bowlers, scalping four wickets for 22 runs while Praveen Kumar returned picked up two wickets for 19.
Mumbai's lacklustre batting performance can be gauged from the fact that big-hitting Kieron Pollard was their top-scored with 17 runs followed by Aiden Blizzard (15).
Image: Bhargav Bhatt of Kings XI Punjab reacts as he claims his fourth wicket and wraps up the Mumbai Indians' innings during an Indian Premier League cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, May 10, 2011. Kings XI Punjab won by 76 runs.




Earlier, Munaf produced his first five-wicket haul of the tournament as Kings XI Punjab lost the plot after an impressive start to be eventually restricted to 163 for eight.
Sent into bat, Kings XI were coasting at 129 for two at one stage but lost as many as six wickets in a span of just 39 runs in the last five overs to see their innings go haywire from a comfortable position.
Munaf was the wrecker in chief for Mumbai, picking up five wickets for just 21 runs while tournament's highest wicket-taker Lasith Malinga gave him the perfect support from the other end with figures of two for 24.
Shaun Marsh top-scored for Kings XI with a 34-ball 43 while Dinesh Karthik (31 off 24), captain Adam Gilchrist (28) and Paul Valthaty (14) all got starts before fading out.
Image: Mumbai Indians' players celebrate with Munaf Patel, center facing camera, after Patel claimed five wickets during an Indian Premier League cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Mohali, India, Tuesday, May 10, 2011.




The win not only took Kings XI up to the ninth position in the standings with eight points from 10 games, but also kept alive their hopes of making it to the play-offs.
Despite the defeat, Mumbai continue to lead the table with 16 points from 11 matches. Mumbai's chase was far from rosy as they lost their top six batsmen inside the first 10 overs with the scoreboard reading just 63.
Blizzard, however, got Mumbai off to a blazing start spanking Praveen for three consecutive fours to pile up 12 runs of the first over before the pacer picked up two vital wickets to send the visitors onto the backfoot. Captain Sachin Tendulkar (6) was Praveen's first casualty as he steered one to Marsh at backward point in the third over.
Left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma then accounted for Rohit Sharma in the next over with Gilchrist producing a smart glove work and then a over later Praveen picked up his second victim -- Blizzard caught behind the stumps by the Kings XI skipper.
Image: Shaun Marsh of Kings XI Punjab hits a ball during an Indian Premier League cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Mohali, India, Tuesday, May 10, 2011.




Mumbai's misery was further compounded when Andrew Symonds was run out for eight, courtesy an unnecessary mix up with Ambati Rayudu.
If that was not enough, in-form Rayudu and Tirumalasetti Suman were the next to go in a span of four deliveries. Harbhajan Singh and big-hitting Kieron Pollard rode on some luck before they too perished in search of big shots.
From there on defeat was inevitable for Mumbai and it was just a matter of time before Bhatt sealed the match in favour of the home team with three wickets -- Pollard, Dhawal Kulkarni and Munaf -- in the 13th over.
Earlier, it was a miserable batting performance from the Kings XI middle and lower order with just the top four registering double figures. Asked to bat, Kings XI lost Valthaty early for a run-a-ball 14. He was caught by Blizzard at deep mid-wicket off Munaf in the third over.
Image: Shalabh Srivastava of Kings XI Punjab reacts after claiming a wicket during an Indian Premier League cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Chandigarh, India, Tuesday, May 10, 2011.







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