Kings XI Punjab’s Glenn Maxwell made a blistering 25-ball 43.
Kings XI Punjab started their Champions League T20 campaign on winning note with a five-wicket victory against tournament debutants Hobart Hurricanes at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali last night.
Kings XI reached their target of 145 in 17.4 over, after at one stage reduced to 51 for 4 in eight overs. However, skipper George Bailey showed a cool head that his Big Bash League franchise could have done with during their innings, in putting on an unbroken 69 with all-rounder Thisara Perera. But it was Glenn Maxwell, who had set the platform by playing strokes that belied a two-paced pitch on his way to a 25-ball 43.
Earlier, Jonathan Wells and Travis Birt struck 28 apiece as the Hobart Hurricanes reached 144 for six. The contributions of the middle order pair were vital after the Australians hit some early trouble, while there were also handy efforts of from Aiden Blizzard (27) and Ben Dunk (26). Perera was the pick of the bowlers with two for 17 in the Group B opener.
Hobart were asked to bat first after losing the toss and captain Tim Paine scratched his way to 11 before slow left-armer Akshar Patel got his second ball to slide through quickly and end the wicketkeeper’s 16-ball stay by shattering the stumps.
Dunk finally got the innings going with three fours in four balls during the sixth over, but then succumbed to Thisara Perera , trying to blast over long-off and instead holing out to Glen Max at deep cover. The 50 was raised in the ninth over as the Hurricanes’ struggles continued.
Blizzard and Shoaib Malik (14), who added 28 together, both fell within the space of eight deliveries - the former offering a simple catch to Parvinder Awana at extra cover off Perera and the latter striking Karanveer Singh to George Bailey at midwicket.
That brought together Wells and Birt, who clubbed Karanveer for two huge sixes in the 15th over to raise the 100. Their stand began to blossom nicely and raced to 50 in only 27 balls, before Wells was run out having faced 18 balls looking for a quick single to Karanveer at point. Birt’s 21-ball stay ended as he scooped Awana to Karanveer at short fine-leg leaving the Aussies with a modest total to defend.
Brief scores: Hobart
Hurricanes 144 for 6 (Birt 28, Wells 28, Perera 2-17) lost to Kings XI Punjab 146 for 5 (Maxwell 43, Perera 35 not out, Bailey 34 not out) by five wickets
