Sports

Indian Premier League: Kolkata stun Punjab to book final berth

Umesh Yadav bags three wickets in hosts’ 28-run victory.

News Desk May 28, 2014

Fast-bowler Umesh Yadav didn’t give breathing space to Punjab batsmen as they flunked to his calculated bowling. PHOTO: BCCI

Kolkata Knight Riders displayed a good bowling performance and became the first team to qualify for the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after beating Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs in the first qualifier on Wednesday.

Punjab, who rocked this season of IPL with big targets and chases in the UAE leg, seemed too lagging to achieve a considerably competitive target set by Kolkata.

Virender Sehwag was again out of form and left the crease in the second over after scoring just two runs off three balls. Wriddhiman Saha (35) and Manan Vohra (26) tried to build a match-saving partnership but Vohra was accounted for by Morne Morkel in the sixth over to leave Punjab’s chase struggling.

Big-hitting Glenn Maxwell again disappointed the fans and routed only one ball to the boundary for his six off nine balls.

Skipper George Bailey (26) was the lone ranger left to help Punjab’s cause but all in vain as Kolkata ended their innings on 135-8.

Man-of-the-match Umesh Yadav bagged three scalps, leaking only 13 runs in his four overs. He was assisted by Morne Morkel who grabbed two wickets for 23 runs.

Earlier, Kolkata made good use of a batting friendly track and boisterous home support to post a challenging score of 163-8 in the allotted 20 overs.

Robin Uthappa continued his prolific form at the top of the innings and scored 42 off only 30 balls striking two sixes and four boundaries in the process.

Manish Pandey (21), Shakibal Hasan (18), Yousuf Pathan (20) and Suryakumar Yadav (20) chipped in with little cameos in the middle of the innings to ensure a solid total for their team.

Karanveer Singh was the most successful bowler for Punjab. He took three wickets in his four over spell.

Akshar Patel bowled splendidly, his four over spell was the most economical of the innings as he conceded a mere 11 runs snaring two wickets in the process.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2014.

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