Punjab are the Kings at Kotla

Delhi: Kings XI Punjab managed to overhaul Delhi’s meagre total of 111 in the 19th over defeating the hosts by seven wickets at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium here on Sunday.

Chasing a small target on a difficult wicket can be tricky, but the rejuvenated Punjab side made it without too many hiccups.

With only 112 to chase, the visitors experimented with their line-up sending Irfan Pathan as an opener along with the in-form Mahela Jayawardene. But Pathan, whose three wickets were crucial in restricting the Daredevils, couldn’t duplicate his performance with the bat and left after getting KXIP off to a steady start.

Jayawardene was his usual classy self and continued from where he had left off against Mumbai Indians scoring another delightful 38 runs off 35 balls. He departed looking to finish the game early by top-edging a Paul Collingwood delivery for Nehra to take a catch at short fine leg.

The fall of the wicket brought Kumar Sangakkara and Yuvraj Singh together at the crease. And the southpaw duo played some lovely pulls and drives to take Kings XI to the brink of victory. Sangakkara, though, couldn’t see the match through falling with just two runs needed to win. Yuvraj was his usual dominating self, pulling bowlers with disdain during his unbeaten knock of 21.

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir won the toss and rightly decided to bat on a dry Kotla wicket. David Warner got things started in particularly positive fashion. But it all went downhill from then on for the Daredevils as they got into self-destruct mode.

Virender Sehwag continued his patchy form with a golden duck, falling to an Irfan Pathan in-swinger. Skipper Gautam Gambhir did provide some action for the home fans, but was run-out after a horrible mix-up. Warner was the guilty party as his captain left the field in utter disgust.

And as if one ridiculous run-out wasn’t enough, Warner committed hara-kiri by getting himself run-out off the very next ball. With the Daredevils reeling, Kings XI Punjab skipper Kumar Sangakkara brought Piyush Chawla into the attack.

And the prodigious leggie answered his captain’s call. Paul Collingwood was left dumb-founded by a Chawla googly. And then it was the turn of Kiwi Daniel Vettori to see his off stump getting knocked back by one that went the other way.

Chawla was having a field day in Delhi - wickets, dot balls, you name it, he got it. The Daredevils gave themselves no chance of getting a decent total as the rest of their batting collapsed for a meagre 111.

Punjab’s late form is not only a good sign for cricket lovers, but also responsible for unsettling the points table. If they continue their current good run, then they could play a role in deciding the semi-finalists on account of their performances.