Punjab power past Chennai

The Kings XI Punjab upstaged the Chennai Super Kings thanks to a seven-run victory in Saturday's 2012 Indian Premier League clash in Chepauk.
The Kings XI Punjab upstaged the Chennai Super Kings thanks to a seven-run victory in Saturday's 2012 Indian Premier League clash in Chepauk.
The defending champions proved largely inadequate with the bat and were left to rue Wriddhiman Saha's promotion up the order.
Chasing a testing target after a half-century from Mandeep Singh and a cavalier cameo from Shaun Marsh pushed the Punjab outfit to 156 for eight, Chennai enjoyed a fluid start on the back of Subramaniam Badrinath and Faf du Plessis' collective effort.
The duo struck 47 inside six overs for the first wicket and prompted a piece of experimentation from the home camp.
Sent in ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Albie Morkel and Dwayne Bravo, the right-handed Saha proved somewhat out of his depth, and scraped together just six runs from all of 14 deliveries.
His pedestrian effort left the remainder of the order with a lot to do, and the pressure ultimately tolled. Bravo did his utmost to keep his side in the hunt, but his 30 from 21 wasn't nearly enough.
Parvinder Awana's fourth and final over – the third-last of the innings – was particularly telling. The Indian seamer conceded a mere seven runs and, for his economical showing, all but sealed the deal for the Kings XI Punjab. Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, meanwhile, fetched figures three for 25.
Earlier the visitors managed to squander Man of the Match Mandeep and Marsh's hard work. Their 68-run partnership inside nine overs was laid to waste by an inconvenient wobble that saw five wickets fall during the final 20 deliveries of the innings.
Albie Morkel was the pick of the Chennai bowlers, finishing with figures of 29, while fellow seamer Bravo landed two for 28.
Saturday's result meant no movement in the nine-team standings, with the Super Kings still sitting at third and the Punjab franchise at eighth.
Latest
-
News
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer return to spearhead England’s tour of India
The star all-rounder and key pace bowler were both rested from the current tour of Sri Lanka.
-
News
James Anderson replaces Stuart Broad as England shuffle seam attack in Sri Lanka
The most prolific seamer in history will swap places with Broad for the second Test.
-
News
Joe Root backs Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley to adjust to Asian conditions
Sibley and Crawley contributed four single-figure scores in the opening Test for a total of 25 runs.
-
News
England fast bowler Olly Stone ready to resume Test ambitions in Sri Lanka
The Warwickshire quick is ready to prove himself again after 18 hard months since his debut.
-
News
Angelo Mathews: Sri Lanka batsmen ‘can learn a lot’ from Joe Root
Mathews hailed Root’s ‘magnificent innings’ in the first Test.
-
News
Dawid Malan happy to stay put after Trent Rockets’ show of faith
The England batsman has earned an improved deal in The Hundred.
-
News
England coach Chris Silverwood grateful for gift of the Gabba
India’s famous win over Australia grabbed the England squad’s attention in Galle.
-
News
A look at unbeaten sporting runs following end of Australia’s Gabba dominance
Australia had not been beaten at the Gabba since 1988.
-
News
Justin Langer: Rishabh Pant’s innings reminded me of Ben Stokes at Headingley
India’s Shubman Gill and Pant inspired a record-breaking victory over Australia at the Gabba.
-
News
Tim Paine: India deserves winners, outplayed Australia
Australia captain Tim Paine has conceded that his side were outplayed in key moments of the series and that India were deserved winners.