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Australia's Glenn Maxwell plays a reverse shot as Pakistan's wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal looks on during the first One-Day International at the Sharjah cricket stadium on Tuesday. (AFP)
Kings XI Punjab defeated Rajasthan Royals by 16 runs at Mohali as they continued to dominate this season's Indian Premier League.
Chasing 180 to win, Rajasthan Royals were never in the race as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Ajinkya Rahane scored a patient 23 while Sanju Samson hit a fine 30 but a sudden fall of wickets with two quick ones from Rishi Dhawan put Rajasthan is serious trouble.
Brad Hodge (31) and James Faulkner (35) did their best but only could delay the inevitable.
Earlier, brilliant batting from Kings XI Punjab ensured they reached 179 for four in 20 overs.
Virender Sehwag gave a quick start scoring 18 from just eight balls before Manan Vohra (25) and Shaun Marsh (40) carried on the good work.
Wriddhiman Saha further consolidated the innings scoring a 20-ball 27 as David Miller (29 not out) and George Bailey (26 not out) provided the late surge to ensure Punjab had a challening total.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
Rajasthan finish at 163 for eight in 20 overs giving Punjab a 16-run win.
The equation is a tough one as Rajasthan need 31 from the last over. RR 149-8 in 19 overs.
Patel takes his third wicket as Cooper departs. A fine catch from Marsh. RR 130-8 in 17.5 overs.
Kevon Cooper c Marsh b Patel 2 (2b 0x4 0x6)
Hodge made a promising start but is gone as Rajasthan need 52 from 15 balls.
Brad Hodge st Saha b Patel 31 (18b 2x4 2x6)
Rahul Tewatia did his best scoring a quick 16 from 13 balls. It's almost over for Rajasthan. RR 101-6 in 15.5 overs.
Rahul Tewatia c Karanveer Singh b Patel 16 (13b 0x4 1x6)
Rajasthan need 88 from 31 balls. RR 92-5 in 15 overs.
Sanju Samson is stumped as he completely misses Singh's beauty of a delivery. Rajasthan are in deep trouble. RR 83-5 in 13.1 overs.
Sanju Samson st Saha b Karanveer Singh 30 (29b 2x4 1x6)
That's another one for Punjab as Binny is on his way back. He has not been in his best in the recent matches. RR 70-4 in 11.1 overs.
Stuart Binny c Marsh b Karanveer Singh 7 (10b 0x4 0x6)
Rajasthan need 116 from 60 balls. A difficult proposition but with two of Rajasthan's best batsmen in the middle, it can still happen. RR 64-3 in 10 overs.
Two good balls and the situation suddenly looks so different. Rajasthan need another partnership to recover from the sudden debacle of losing two wickets. RR 58-3 in 9 overs.
Rajasthan suddenly look to be in deep trouble as Watson returns bowled again. Dhawan celebrates as he has a chance for an hat-trick. RR 56-3 in 8.2 overs.
Shane Watson b Dhawan 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)
A beauty of a delivery from Dhawan as Rahana is beaten to see his stumps rattle. RR 56-2 in 8.1 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane b Dhawan 23 (26b 2x4 0x6)
Singh bowls a tight over giving away just two runs from his first one. RR 56-1 in 8 overs.
Samson is firing great guns as he reaches 19 from 21 balls. Rahane slow and steady on 22 from 24 balls. RR 54-1 in 7 overs.
Samson gets his start to bang two boundaries. He's got the footwork. RR 44-1 in 6 overs.
A fine start from Patel as he gives away only three runs from his first over. RR 31-1 in 5 overs.
Required run rate crosses nine per over as Rajasthan reach 28-1 in 4 overs.
Rajasthan lose their first one early as Nair departs. RR 21-1 in 2.4 overs.
Karun Nair c Bailey b Balaji 11 (6b, 2x4, 0x6)
Both openers looking good as Rajasthan reach 16 for no loss in 2 overs.
Rahane gets a boundary to start off. RR 5-0 in 1 over.
Karun Nair and Ajinkya Rahane open for Rajasthan. Balaji bowls for Punjab.
KINGS XI PUNJAB INNINGS
Exceptional over for Punjab as Bailey and Miller rip apart Faulkner to score 23 runs from the over. A noball and a free hit to add to the pain. KXIP 169-4 in 19 overs.
A classic six from Miller as Punjab reach 146 for four in 18 overs.
A good over for Tambe as he gives just the singles and twos. KXIP 126-4 in 16 overs.
With Tewatia tieing down Saha, he went for a big one but could only offer a simple cach to Rahane in the deep. KXIP 119-4 in 14.4 overs.
Wriddhiman Saha c Rahane b Tewatia 27 (20b 4x4 0x6)
A brief rain stoppage should not affect Punjab's progress. Miller joins Saha. KXIP 118-3 in 14 overs.
The rain has stopped and the covers are off. Players in the middle and action just seconds away.
There's bad news as rain stops play. It's not a heavy one so hopefully it should be a short break.
Marsh eyes a big one but fails to get the distance as he departs off Malik bowling.
Shaun Marsh c Rahane b Malik 40 (35b 5x4 1x6)
Punjab in a strong position with Saha getting back to back boundaries. KXIP 113-2 in 13 overs.
Marsh reaches 39 from 33 balls, while Saha is batting on 16. KXIP 103-2 in 12 overs.
Half way through the innings KXIP are 83 for two.
Saha takes off as soon as he arrives to smash two boundaries. KXIP 67-2 in 8 overs.
Manan Vohra makes a mess out of his run unable to ground his bat at the right time as he is run out. KXIP 55-2 in 6.4 overs.
Manan Vohra run out 25 (20b 3x4 1x6)
Partnership reaches 24 runs from 14 balls. KXIP 53-1 in 6 overs.
Marsh shows fine form to get two boundaries. KXIP 46-1 in 5 overs.
Vohra reaches 16 with a fine six and a boundary. KXIP 37-1 in 4 overs.
Marsh joins Vohra. KXIP 26-1 in 3 overs.
That was disappointing end for Sehwag. He was going strong but got a bad edge to give a simple catch to Malik. KXIP 24-1 in 2.2 overs.
Virender Sehwag c Malik b Faulkner 18 (8b 3x4 1x6)
Vohra also begins confidently scoring a boundary. But Watson fights back bowling a tidy length giving away only five runs in total. KXIP 20-0 in 2 overs.
Malik has a forgettable start as Sehwag rips him apart with two boundaries and a six. KXIP 15-0 in 1 over.
Rajasthan skipper Shane Watson wins the toss and elects to field.
Playing XI:
KXIP: Virender Sehwag, Manan Vohra, Shaun Marsh, David Miller, George Bailey, Wriddhiman Saha, Akshar Patel, Rishi Dhawan, Karanveer Singh, BBeuran Hendricks, Lakshmipathy Balaji.
RR: Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Shane Watson, Sanju Samson, Brad Hodge, Stuart Binny, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Rahul Tewatia, Vikramjeet Malik, Praveen Tambe.
As the fight for the top four gets hotter, Rajathan Royals will have to seal it against a calmer Kings XI Punjab who already have qualified for the playoffs.
Punjab will have the home advantage playing at Mohali and will be keen to carry on the good form they have shown throughout the tournament.
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