IPL6: Punjab win thriller over Kolkata by 4 runs

Kings XI Punjab pulled off a four-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 20 of the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Mohali on Tuesday.

Needing 11 runs from the last over, Kolkata managed only six runs from Praveen Kumar as they suffered their third defeat from five matches.

On the other hand Punjab survived a hat-trick of defeats after winning their first match of the tournament.

The heroes for the winners were Mandeep Singh and Manpreet Gony in the batting department, while Azhar Mahmood, Parvinder Awana and Praveen Kumar did well with the ball.

Kolkata were well in control of the match at one stage after losing two early wickets when Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan were involved in a 105-run partnership for the third wicket.

But once Gambhir departed, wickets tumbled in a heap and what should have been a cake-walk win for Kolkata ended in a nail-biting win for Punjab.

Earlier Mandeep gave Punjab a good start but it was Gony's slam-bang innings towards the end which helped the hosts reach a defendable total.

Punjab who have lost all the four tosses in the tournament so far, were given a  good start but faltered in the middle only for Manpreet Gony to revive them with an 18-ball 42 towards the end and give the team a fighting total to defend.

Punjab began the tournament well with a win but lost two consecutive matches thereafter.

Gilchrist once again failed to get cracking and was trapped soon by Senanayake for 7.

Mandeep Singh looked in good knick hitting Balaji and then Senanayake for a couple of boundaries.

He and Manal Vohra scored at a brisk pace until Vohra went for an ambitious shot and was out.

Mandeep kept the momentum going with a fiery 41 from 30 balls.

Once he departed the rest began to falter until Gony came and lifted the spirits of the home crowd with some big hitting.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS

Yusuf Pathan goes holing out to Miller at deep mid-wicket.

YK Pathan c Miller b Kumar 13 (16b 2x4 0x6)

Rajat Bhatia brings Kolkata back in the game with two sixes in Awana's over but the bowler has the last laugh clean bowling Bhatia.

R Bhatia b Awana 16 (6b 0x4 2x6)

Azhar Mahmood is on a high, bagging his third wicket after trapping Debabrata Das plumb to reduce Kolkata to 124 for 6.

DB Das lbw b Azhar Mahmood 1 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Manoj Tiwary goes for a wild heave only to miss the ball and get bowled by Awana.

MK Tiwary b Awana 1 (7b 0x4 0x6)

Gony gives Punjab hope of a win conceding just 1 run, that of a wide in the 16th over.

Match on hands as Azhar Mahmood gets the dangerous Morgan out for 47.

JG Morgan c Hussey b Azhar Mahmood 47 (38b 6x4 0x6)

Punjab fight back after Gony bowls a tight over. Kolkata now need 51 runs from 36 balls.

In-form Gambhir departs for 60 after edging one from Gony to Gilchrist.

G Gambhir c †Gilchrist b Gony 60 (39b 9x4 0x6)

Gambhir and Morgan put up a 100-run partnership for the third wicket as Kolkata inch closer to their third win.

Gambhir notches his 50 from 31 balls with eight boundaries.

Kolkata need 66 runs from 54 balls with eight wickets in hand.

Gambhir and Morgan not only steady the Kolkata boat but also take the defending champions closer to the target.

Gambhir looks in ominous form as he pulls, cuts and flicks David Hussey for three boundaries in his first over.

Gambhir and Morgan begin to find boundaries at ease to take the team to 45 for 2 after six overs.

Praveen starts leaking runs, goes for 15 in his third over.

Eoin Morgan gives Praveen Kumar the charge hitting him for two boundaries as Kolkata reach 16 for 2.

Azhar Mahmood sends the dependable Kallis back to the pavilion after forcing him to drive straight to Mandeep Singh at extra cover.

JH Kallis c Mandeep Singh b Azhar Mahmood 1 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Praveen Kumar gives Punjab a heady start with the wicket of Manvinder Bisla who edged to an alert Gilchrist after the ball popped out off the hands of first slip Azhar Mahmood.

MS Bisla c Gilchrist b Kumar 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Kallis gets Praveen to top edge this one to Pathan for his second wicket of the over and third of the match.

KINGS XI PUNJAB INNINGS

P Kumar c Pathan b Kallis 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Gony goes finally. Trying to force Kallis through cover he pulls the ball on to his stumps.

MS Gony b Kallis 42 (18b 4x4 3x6)

Gony goes after Narine hitting him for 22 runs in the 19th over.

Balaji proves expensive going for 15 runs in his fourth over and his team's 18th.

Manpreet Gony hits the first six for Punjab when he pulled Balaji through mid-wicket.

Three balls later Gony hits Balaji down the ground for a four to up the scoring for Punjab.

Gurkeerat Singh has no clue to this one from Narine and is clean bowled to hand Narine a hat-trick.

This was the IPL tournament's 10th hat-trick in its sixth season.

Gurkeerat Singh b Narine 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

A ball later Narine foxes Azhar Mahmood who hands a simply return catch.

Azhar Mahmood c & b Narine 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

Sunil Narine strikes getting David Hussey to edge to Bisla for his second catch.

DJ Hussey c Bisla b Narine 12 (15b 0x4 0x6)

Kolkata keep it tight conceding just eight runs in two overs as Punjab are 78 for 3 from 12 overs.

Mandeep Singh departs after scoring a brisk 41 off 30 balls. Mandeep in trying to go after the experienced Kallis edges one to wicketkeeper Bisla.  

M Singh c Bisla b Kallis 41 (30b 6x4 0x6)

Balaji gets rid of Manan Vohra when his short ball caught Vohra, who stepped out, to top-edge it back to the bowler.

M Vohra c & b Balaji 17 (16b 2x4 0x6)

Punjab cruise to 54 for 1 after 8 overs with Mandeep Singh going great guns on 29.

Mandeep keeps the scoreboard ticking with another boundary off Sunil Narine.

Senayake strikes in his first over getting rid of the dangerous Gilchrist after trapping him plumb.

Balaji proves expensive as he goes for 14 runs in his second over.

Gilchrist takes him on first hitting the bowler for a four between cover and mid-off.

Then Mandeep gets into the act attacking Balaji who strays down the leg side and is punished for two successive fours.

Mandeep Singh hits the first boundary for Punjab after lofting Kallis over mid-on.

Kolkata begin well with Laxmipathy Balaji conceding only one run off a wide in the first over.

KKR have dropped Ryan Harris for David Miller. Satish too makes way for Manpreet Gony.

The visitors will be missing Laxmi Shukla due to injury. He will be replaced by Debabrata Das.

PLAYING XI

KXIP: Adam Gilchrist (c/wk), Mandeep Singh, David Hussey, David Miller, Azhar Mahmood, Manan Vohra, Gurkeerat Singh, Piyush Chawla, Praveen Kumar, Manpreet Gony, Parvinder Awana.

KKR: Manvinder Bisla (wk), Gautam Gambhir (c), Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary, Eoin Morgan, Rajat Bhatia, Debabrata Das, Sachitra Senanayake, Sunil Narine, Laxmipathy Balaji.

Kolkata have won the toss and have decided to bowl first.

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) face off against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Match 20 of IPL6 at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Tuesday.

KKR are on a high after their resounding 48-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

KXIP have suffered two defeats after starting the tournament with an eight-wicket victory over Pune Warriors India.

 

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