Harsh Kalan/IPLt20.com


Thanks to the combined efforts of their batting unit – including Wriddhiman Saha, Manan Vohra, Glenn Maxwell and George Bailey – Kings XI Punjab comfortably chased down the 206-run target set by Sunrisers Hyderabad. While Naman Ojha’s stellar half-century was the talk of the town at half-time, Saha’s early blitz soon overshadowed all performances that preceded it. And after a record-setting start – that included KXIP bringing up the fastest 100 and 150 in IPL history – the middle order did the trick for the table-toppers.
Earlier, George Bailey won the toss and elected to field first. The decision seemed to have worked for SRH as Shikhar Dhawan, who was well supported by Aaron Finch, got off to a good start. After getting his eye in, the SRH skipper played a big role in plundering 26 runs off Sandeep Sharma in the fifth over. Thanks to these early exploits, SRH notched up 55 runs in the powerplay without losing a single wicket. In fact, the first-wicket pair brought up 65 runs, before Finch (20) was dismissed by Rishi Dhawan in the ninth over.
By the halfway stage, SRH had posted 72 for one with Shikhar Dhawan (45) going great guns, along with Naman Ojha for company.
After Dhawan departed, Ojha and David Warner joined in the blitz and took Sunrisers to 205 for five in 20 overs.
In response, KXIP lost Virender Sehwag (4) in the first over. However, Wriddhiman Saha took charge of the innings as Manan Vohra played a great supporting role to him. As a result of an early onslaught, KXIP raced past 50 in the fourth over of the run-chase and ending up with a whopping 86 runs in the powerplay.
After’s Saha’s dismissal, another big-hitter – Glenn Maxwell – came in to bat, and he did not take too long to unleash his willow.  He took Punjab past the 100-run mark in just 7.3 overs – the fastest that any team has got to triple digits in the IPL.
However, Maxwell’s (43) 22-ball blitz was ended by Amit Mishra in the 14th over. But by then the run-chase equation had come down drastically – 47 runs off 41 balls. The SRH bowlers then bowled a few tight overs, which induced a lofted shot from George Bailey that was claimed by Warner; but after replays suggested that the fielder had grassed it, the KXIP skipper got a much-needed respite.
Given that there were no boundaries hit during a three-and-a-half-over stretch leading up to the 18th over, the SRH bowlers had snuck their team back into contention – as the run-chase equation read 26 runs off 18 balls. But Bailey then struck a welcome six, followed by a four, to bring the required run-rate down to a run-a-ball. He then, struck another maximum and a boundary, and took Dale Steyn for 22 runs in the 18th over. With just four needed off two overs, Bailey and Miller took their team across the line with five wickets in hand and eight balls to spare.