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Yuvraj sparks Kings XI

Yuvraj sparks Kings XI

03/21/2010 07:16:21 PM

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Yuvraj Singh sparkled with the bat to help the Kings XI Punjab register its first win in the Indian Premier League, defeating the Chennai Super Kings via the super over.

The Kings XI, put into bat, were shackled by a strong performance from Muttiah Muralitharan (3-16) and were restricted to 8-136 with only Yuvraj (43) and Irfan Pathan (39) making contributions of note.

Parthiv Patel made a composed 57 off 58 deliveries and added 65 for the opening wicket with Matthew Hayden (33) and the chase of that measly target seemed all but in the bag, but a flurry of wickets led to the scores being tied after the regulation 20 overs a side.

The super-over rule was enforced and the Super Kings managed only nine off Juan Theron, losing both Hayden and Suresh Raina in the process.

Needing 10 to win, Mahela Jayawardene slammed Muralitharan for a six before falling, but Yuvraj kept his cool and brought up victory with a boundary and with two deliveries to spare.

Irfan's blazing rearguard action in the previous game against the Deccan Chargers earned him a promotion to the top of the order and he gave the Kings XI a decent platform although wickets crashed around him.

Ravi Bopara, top scorer for the Kings XI, recorded his first failure, slashing Albie Morkel to Lakshmipathy Balaji at third man before Muralitharan imposed himself with deadly precision.

The wily off-spinner had Kumar Sangakkara stumped for 15 and trapped Jayawardene for three in his first spell, while Balaji snared Irfan in between and the Kings XI were left floundering.

The onus was then squarely on Yuvraj and he helped rebuild with a 45-run stand with Mohammad Kaif (14).

But Muralitharan returned to sever that partnership by dismissing Kaif and the Kings XI innings again suffered another collapse.

Yuvraj eventually fell seven short of a half-century while trying to up the run-rate at the death and the Kings XI were forced to defend a small total.

Hayden lacked fluency at the start of the Super Kings' chase but gained some momentum by clobbering Romesh Powar for a six and four off consecutive deliveries.

Powar eventually returned to bowl the burly left-hander for 33.

The Super Kings needed a further 72 from 68 deliveries following Hayden's departure and stand-in captain Raina (15) brought that equation down to less than a run a ball during his brief stay.

But the Kings XI bowlers, who had posed little threat until then, upped the ante by removing Raina, Murali Vijay and Subramaniam Badrinath in quick succession and ended Parthiv's knock in the 18th over.

Eventually, 10 was needed of the final over and Irfan conceded nine off the first four deliveries, but then bowled a dot ball and secured the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin off the final delivery to push the match into the super over.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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