IPL V, Mascarenhas, Pune Warriors, IPL News, 2012, Cricket news
Punjab, beginning with the toss. Adam Gilchrist had no hesitation in opting to bowl, as, following the overnight thunderstorm, there was a bit of juice in the green-tinged pitch. His bowlers, particularly Dimitri Mascarenhas, made optimum use of the conditions to send the Pune batsmen scurrying for cover. His five-wicket haul hurled the rivals to their first defeat in IPL 5.
Bowled out for mere 115 in 19 overs, Pune did not have enough runs on the board. Though the home team lost three wickets, they achieved the target with a fair amount of ease, with Shaun Marsh helping himself to a fine half-century to get back some form.
The Punjab seamers made the life of Pune batsmen miserable, with Praveen Kumar bowling his banana in-swingers to keep openers Sourav Ganguly and Jesse Ryder guessing. Praveen, as is becoming a trend, bowled out his four overs on a trot without giving away much though he was unlucky not to be among wickets.
Earlier, the Pune innings lacked big partnerships – the highest was worth 26 runs – and the regular fall of wickets meant the Kings XI stayed upbeat throughout the innings. The fact that Pune innings – slowed down by 54 dot balls – folded in 19 overs reflected the dominance of Kings XI in the field.
Mascarenhas struck twice in an over and later returned to straightaway provide the breakthrough by sending back dangerman Robin Uthappa. At the ‘death’, he got rid of top-scorer Mithun Manhas and Rahul Sharma to hasten the end.
Mascarenhas also became the ninth bowler – and the only one from Kings XI Punjab – to take five wickets in the competition.
Perhaps influenced by last night’s thunderstorm and rain that hit the city, Gilchrist chose to field and the move clicked.
The run-out of opener Jesse Ryder proved that Pune had indeed taken off on the wrong foot. Ganguly, who looked in good touch during his short stay, and Marlon Samuels fell in the space of four deliveries to leave the Kings XI supporters jubilant.
Thereafter, Robin Uthappa and Manhas did their bit but could not steer the team into the comfort zone. The eventual 115 was never going to be enough.
Brief scores: Team Pune 115 all out (M Manhas 31, D Mascarenhas five for 25) lost to Team Punjab (S Marsh 64 not out, P Chawla 21 not out) by seven wickets.
Scoreboard
Pune Warriors: J. Ryder (run out) 7 (11b, 1x4), S. Ganguly c Marsh b Mascarenhas 16 (9b, 3x4), M. Samuels b Mascarenhas 2 (12b), R. Uthappa c Bipul b Mascarenhas 17 (16b, 1x6), A. Mathews lbw b Harmeet 11 (9b, 2x4), M. Manhas b Mascarenhas 31 (28b, 3x4, 1x6), S. Smith b Chawla 13 (13b, 1x4), M. Pandey c D. Hussey b Harmeet 0 (3b), Rahul c Mandeep b Mascarenhas 2 (4b), A. Nehra (not out) 2 (4b), A. Dinda (run out) 2 (5b); Extras (b-4, 1b-3, w-5): 12; Total (in 19 overs): 115.
Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Ryder), 2-28 (Ganguly), 3-29 (Samuels), 4-51 (Mathews), 5-77 (Uthappa), 6-99 (Smith), 7-100 (Pandey), 8-108 (Manhas), 9-110 (Rahul).
Kings XI bowling: Praveen 4-0-19-0, Awana 4-0-18-0, Mascarenhas 4-0-25-5, Harmeet 3-0-23-2, Chawla 4-0-23-1.
Kings XI Punjab: P. Valthaty b Dinda 0 (1b), A. Gilchrist c Smith b Mathews 21 (17b, 3x4), S. Marsh (not out) 64 (54b, 7x4, 1x6), Mandeep c Smith b Rahul 10 (10b, 1x4), P. Chawla (not out) 21 (24b, 3x4); Total (for three wkts. in 17.4 overs): 116.
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Valthaty), 2-50 (Gilchrist), 3-70 (Mandeep).
Pune Warriors bowling: Dinda 3-0-18-1, Nehra 3-0-22-0, Samuels 3.4-0-27-0, Mathews 3-0-20-1, Ryder 2-0-12-0, Rahul 3-0-17-1.
Man-of-the-match: Mascarenhas.