Kings XI Punjab is turning out to be one of the most dangerous teams in the IPL competition this time around. For a while at the MPCA Stadium in Indore, they were put on the backfoot by a ferocious assault by AB de Villiers but held their nerve to record an eight-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
For a team which finished last in the previous season, the Kings have done well to record their second win in a row, ensuring a perfect start for the underdogs in this campaign. The only positive for RCB in the game was an electrifying return to action by de Villiers, who cracked a typically brilliant, unbeaten 89 (46b, 3x4, 9x6), but couldn't ensure a fighting total for his team, which struggled to break the shackles of Kings' five-pronged pace attack and a good effort by left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who gave away merely 12 runs in his four overs.
Despite a late flourish, which saw them amass as many as 68 off the last four overs, all RCB managed was 148 for four, which was never going to be enough on this small ground against a team which has now made this ground its fortress.
All Kings XI took was 14.3 overs to get to the measly target, even as 33 balls were still left in their bank. After openers Manan Vohra (34, 21b, 4x4, 1x6) and Hashim Amla (58 not out, 38b, 4x4, 3x6) provided a cracking start by adding 62 in the first six overs, skipper Glenn Maxwell continued his blazing form, blasting an unbeaten 43 (22b, 3x4, 4x6), to finish it off.
Earlier, RCB were in trouble right after choosing to bat first. Skipper Shane Watson was castled while trying to cut a delivery too close to him, the experiment to open with `keeper Vishnu Vinod back fired, while last match's hero Kedar Jadhav was adjudged lbw even as Varun Aaron's delivery looked to be going over the stumps. It was eventually left to de Villiers, who smashed nine sixes, to take RCB to a decent total on a night where he showed what exactly the IPL was missing so far.
Rashid, Warner tame Gujarat Lions
Rashid Khan has proved that his performance in the first match of the IPL-X was no flash in the pan. His encore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad handed the Gujarat Lions their second consecutive defeat of the tournament. For the second time in three days, the Lions lost it in the powerplays, reduced as they were to 40 for two and ultimately to 135 for seven. The Sunrisers Hyderabad needed no second invitation, and courtesy 21 runs conceded by Lions' skipper Suresh Raina in the third over, cruised to 59 for one in the first six and finished the match at 140 for one.
Rana heroics in MI win
Pandey's 81 In Vain As Hosts Clinch A Thriller
A blazing half-century from 23-year-old Nitish Rana - 50 off 29 balls, gave Mumbai Indians an unexpected but an absolutely thrilling victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening. Mumbai were three down for 74 in a chase that began well but was left undone by some very poor umpiring decisions when Rana walked in. He began at a pace that initially did not match the momentum required but the moment he settled, the Delhi boy single handedly ended up changing the course of the game. With nine runs required off the last five balls, all-rounder Hardik Pandya took over and a quickfire knock took the hosts home.
RCB register first win
It was a gripping tale of two gritty men. One, a 19year-old stinging from a personal loss, the other a 32-year-old underachiever who gave it his all in the 55 minutes he spent on the crease. On a muggy night at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru as top stars from Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils came a cropper with the bat, RCB's Kedar Jhadav (69, 37b, 5x4, 5x6) and young Delhi batsman Rishabh Pant played defining innings, under different yet testing circumstances. In the end, Jadhav's runs and Shane Watson's bowling strategies saw the home team through for their first win of the season.
Maxwell cuts Supergiant to size
Indore: Quite a few eyebrows were raised when batting great Virender Sehwag named Glenn Maxwell as the captain of Kings XI Punjab heading into the season. Sehwag, though, seems to be going by the theory that leadership may just bring out the best in this maverick player. On Thursday at the MPCA Stadium in Indore, Maxwell showed how the responsibility may finally help him do justice to his enormous talent as his cameo (44 not out, 20b, 4x6, 2x4) helped Kings XI Punjab launch their campaign in style with a six-wicket win over the Rising Pune Supergiant.
Chasing 164, the Kings seemed to be floundering at 85 for four, before Maxwell and David Miller (30 not out, 27b, 1x4, 2x6), who too had a poor last season, took control of the chase, adding 79 runs in 47 balls for the unbeaten fifth wicket partnership to seal the win.
Chris Lynn, Gambhir script roaring win for KKR
Never has a total of 183 been chased down without a wicket being lost in T20s, until the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat lions. Chris Lynn announced his arrival with a monstrous knock (93 off 41) that blew away Gujarat Lions. Together with Gautam Gambhir (76), he put on the highest ever opening stand in IPL history as Kolkata Knight Riders started their campaign with a thumping victory inside 15 overs.
Smith, Rahane guide Pune Supergiant to 7-wicket win over MI
PUNE: Steve Smith's love affair with the MCA Stadium is getting more profound. After his memorable 109 against India in a Test match recently, the Australian scored a match-winning 84 (54 balls, 7x4, 6x3) to grab a thrilling seven-wicket win for Rising Pune Supergiant against Mumbai Indians in Pune. Needing a challenging 185 to win, Smith smote Kieron Pollard for two sixes in the final over of the innings as the hosts got home with just one ball remaining.
Yuvraj, bowlers fashion dominant win for Sunrisers
Defending Champions Sunrisers Hyderabad got their campaign off to a bright start with a 35-run win over last year's finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore at Rajiv Gandhi International cricket stadium in Hyderabad.
