Mohali: Chris Lynn’s brilliant 84 went in vain as Kings XI Punjab produced a clinical bowling and fielding show under pressure to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 14 runs in a tense IPL match and keep themselves afloat in the tournament here on Tuesday night.
Needing a win on Tuesday to keep their playoffs hopes alive, KXIP could put up just 167 for 6 after being put into bat but they defended the total courtesy a remarkable show by their bowlers at the PCA Stadium.
The home side restricted KKR to 153 for 6 to win the match. They still remain at fifth with 12 points from 12 matches and they can make it to the knock-out stage if they win their remaining two matches.
KKR, who have already booked a playoffs berth, also remained at second spot with 16 points from 13 matches.
The pick of the KXIP bowlers was Rahul Tewatia who took 2 wickets for 18 runs from his 4 overs while Mohit Sharma got 2/24 from 3 overs. Sandeep Sharma did not take a wicket but conceded just 31 runs from his four overs.
Earlier Captain Glenn Mexwell hit a quickfire 25-ball 44 as Kings XI Punjab scored 167 for 6. Kings XI made a wobbling start after they were asked to bat but made a late recovery to put up a respectable total at the PCA Stadium here.
From 63 for 3 at the halfway mark, Kings XI took 104 runs from the final 10 overs.
Kings XI lost wickets at regular intervals as they failed to stitch any big partnership. Their highest partnership was the 61 for the fourth wicket between Maxwell and Wriddhiman Saha (38).
Maxwell, Saha and Manan Vohra (25) got the starts but could not convert them to big scores. Opener Vohra looked promising with a couple of fours off Sunil Narine at the start of the innings. He then hit two more boundaries off Umesh Yadav.
But Yadav had the last laugh as he dismissed Vohra in the fifth over with his short delivery kissing the batsman’s gloves for Robin Uthappa to do the rest.
Next over, Martin Guptill fell LBW to Narine as the batsman missed the delivery while trying to sweep over backward square leg and Kings XI were 41 for 2 then.
The home side were 42 for 2 after the powerplay overs and they were further in trouble as Shaun Marsh (11) departed after a promising start. The Australian played two delectable shots off Colin de Grandhomme, including a glorious straight drive, before he was out at Kings XI score of 56 for 3. Marsh fell to a gem of a delivery off the England pace bowler Chris Woakes in a full, straight delivery.
