IPL 2020: Kings XI storm back to defend low total against Sunrisers

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) held their nerve in a low-scoring encounter and beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 12 runs in Match 43 of the Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Needing 127 runs to win, SRH were quick off the blocks as David Warner got going straightway. The SRH skipper cranked two sixes in the first two overs bowled by Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh.

In the next two overs, Jonny Bairstow hit two fours before he and Warner teamed up to hit four fours in the fifth and sixth over to take SRH past fifty at the end of the powerplay.

However, KXIP struck twice in quick succession through the leg-spinners as SRH lost both their openers. While Ravi Bishnoi had Warner caught behind the stumps by KL Rahul, Murugan Ashwin dismissed Bairstow.

For the ninth over, KXIP brought Shami back into the attack to bowl his final over and he struck as Abdul Samad was caught at mid-off by a leaping Chris Jordan.

While Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar, who had powered SRH to win in their last game against Rajasthan Royals, added 33 runs, the partnership was broken after J Suchith, on the field as a substitute for Shami, ran towards his right and took a stunning catch near the ropes to get Manish out in the 17th over.

Vijay Shankar got hit on the helmet in the 18th over by a Nicholas Pooran throw who was trying to run-out the SRH all-rounder.

While Shankar seemed fine to bat, he got out on the next delivery as Arshdeep Singh got his first wicket.

SRH were 110-5 after the 18th over and needed 17 runs in the last two overs to cross the finish line.

After conceding two on the first two balls of the penultimate over, Jordan got two wickets on two successive deliveries. While Holder was caught by Mandeep in the covers, Rashid got out after Pooran took a catch in the deep.

SRH needed 14 runs in the final over but Arshdeep conceded not more than 2 runs to pick two wickets before Bishnoi ran-out Khaleel Ahmed on the penultimate delivery as KXIP completed their fourth win on the bounce to move to 10 points in the standings.

Earlier, SRH, who brought in Khaleel Ahmed in place of Shahbaz Nadeem, elected to bowl against KXIP, who made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in Mandeep Singh and Chris Jordan.

Mandeep, who was opening the batting in the absence of injured Mayank Agarwal, and KL Rahul took KXIP to 37 in the first five overs before Sandeep Sharma got Mandeep out for 17 to claim his 100th IPL wicket.

Chris Gayle creamed two fours and a six in the first eight balls he faced. But, from thereon SRH did a remarkable job to keep the things tight and it got them two big wickets on two successive deliveries.

While Jason Holder had Gayle caught at the long-off in the 10th over, Rashid Khan’s wrong’un did KL Rahul in on the first ball of the 11th over. Sandeep Sharma then picked his second wicket as he dismissed Glenn Maxwell in the 14th over before Rashid had Deepak Hooda stumped in the next over.

KXIP, with five wickets down, moved past hundred in the 17th over, but lost another wicket as Holder’s slower delivery got the better of Chris Jordan.

Nicholas Pooran, who scored an unbeaten 32, though dragged his side to 126-7. (IPL)