Englishman of Indian origin, Ravi Bopara's 59-ball 84 guides Kings XI to their maiden IPL-II win
Englishman of Indian origin, Ravi Bopara's 59-ball 84 guides Kings XI to their maiden IPL-II win
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KXIP skipper Yuvraj Singh (right) and MOM Ravi Bopara. |
England right-hander Bopara struck five sixes and four fours during his 59-ball knock at the crease and skipper Yuvraj Singh (30 not out) and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (26) offered good support.
Punjab, losers of two rain-affected games since the IPL extravaganza began last weekend, had 52 runs on the board before losing their first wicket and reached 80-1 by the 10-over 'strategy break'.
Pietersen deployed seven bowlers, including himself, Jacques Kallis and Indian Anil Kumble, but they could not stem the Punjab run flow before a large crowd.
Kings scored 19 off the 16th over to swing the game in their favour and when Royals finally got rid of Bopara, caught by New Zealander Jesse Ryder off the bowling of Kallis, it was far too late.
Only veteran Kumble (1-19) impressed with the ball for a Bangalore team suffering their third loss in four outings as one-wicket Kallis conceded 51 runs in four overs.
Kallis fared much better with the bat, top scoring for Royals (62, 5x4, 2x6). New Zealander Ross Taylor contributed 35 and compatriot Ryder got among the runs with a brisk 32 after two ducks. Little known South African Yusuf Abdulla (4-31) and Irfan Pathan (3-35) took the bowling honours for Punjab.
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