Published: May 16, 2013, 09:41 PM (IST)
Edited: May 16, 2013, 09:41 PM (IST)
David Miller’s innings of 44 off 24 balls took Kings XI Punjab to 171 against Delhi Daredevils at Dharamsala © PTI
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Dharamsala: May 16, 2013
A team-effort by Kings XI Punjab took them to 171 against Delhi Daredevils in their Indian Premier League (IPL), 2013 encounter at Dharamsala. David Miller, Adam Gilchrirst and Shaun Marsh contributed with cameos to lift Punjab to their eventual score.
Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and elected to field first. Punjab brought back Praveen Kumar for Manpreet Gony. Along with Jayawardene, Morne Morkel and Muralidharen Gautam came in for Delhi.
Shaun Marsh and Gilchrist opened the batting for Punjab and they got off to a brisk start. Marsh was looking good and Gilchrist carried his form from the previous game. They were hitting the boundaries regularly. Gilchrist finished the powerplay in style as he smashed two sixes and a four off Ashish Nehra in the sixth over.
Marsh was a spectator as Gilchrist stole the show. He played pulled and cut in trademark style as the Delhi bowlers were pitching it short. It looked like he would get to his fifty, before Irfan Pathan took a skier off his own bowling to send the Punjab captain back. Mahmood walked in at number three, a ploy that worked wonders in the previous game.
Punjab slowed down after Gilchrist’s dismissal as Mahmood and Marsh took time to consolidate. The strategy with Mahmood did not work this time as he was caught brilliantly by Siddharth Kaul on the long-on boundary. He could have easily overbalanced and crossed the boundary, but held on very well. Nehra had his first success of the day.
There was no momentum as such as Marsh struggled to play the big shots. However, he got a move on with a four off Pathan in the 14th over. Umesh Yadav ran in to bowl the 156h over and Marsh edged the first two balls for fours. David Miller then smashed a huge six over mid-wicket. Punjab were warming up for the slog overs. Marsh’s struggle came to an end as he holed out to long-off in the 17th over.
Rajagopal Sathish came in at number five and smashed a six immediately after the arrival. Punjab were looking for a flourish courtesy Sathish and Miller. Things started going their way as Miller got into his stride as he heaved two sixes and a four in the 18th over. The first one flew over long-off and the next one sailed over mid-wicket.
The two batsmen continued to attack and took Punjab past 160. Sathish was dismissed in the last over as Nehra bowled well. But, Miller finished the game with a four through long-on to push Punjab to 171.
Delhi now have to chase 172 to win the game.
Brief scores:
Kings XI Punjab 171 for 4 in 20 overs (Shaun Marsh 45, David Miller 44*; Ashish Nehra 2 for 38, Morne Morkel 1 for 22) vs Delhi Daredevils
