Rajasthan beats Punjab, Kolkata outplays Pune in IPL
AGENCIES
MOHALI/KOLKATA, India, May 5: Rajasthan Royals defeated King XI Punjab by 43 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium here late Saturday.
Batting first, Rajasthan posted a formidable total of 177 for six and restricted Punjab to 134 for eight. This is Rajasthan’s first win after four consecutive defeats in the IPL.
Skipper Rahul Dravid (46) and Watson (36) shared a 69-run partnership for the second wicket after losing Ajinkya Rahane (5) in the second over.
Ashok Menaria scored 34. Brad Hodge smashed 36 of 23 balls towards the end of the Rajasthan innings.
Chasing an imposing total, Punjab never looked in the hunt. Besides, Shun March (34), Azhar Mahmood (24), Gurkeerat Singh (23), no other Punjab batsmen could score in double figures.
Johan Botha (2-21), Shane Watson (2-22) and Shaun Tait (2-18) took two wickets each while Siddharth Trivedi and Stuart Binny took wicket apiece.
In a match earlier played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Kolkata Knight Riders beat Pune Warriors India by seven runs.
Batting first, the hosts scored 150 for 5. Gambhir smashed 56 off 36 balls, while McCullum, scored a patient 42 off 43 deliveries.
The host team raced to 98 for 0 after ten overs but could manage only 29 runs off the last five overs. Yusuf Pathan´s run of woes continued, as he scored just 11 off 15 balls.
In reply, Pune managed only 143 for 8 to hand KKR their seventh win this year´s IPL. Pune made a disastrous start losing opener Michael Clarke in the second over, followed by Robbin Uthappa (17).
Struggling at 55 for 5, Pune were in deep trouble, but Sourav Ganguly (36) and Angelo Mathews (35) shared a 73-run stand to put the visitors back on track.
Likewise, Manish Pandey scored 17 and Steven Smith made 14. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck 11. Kolkata bowler Sunil Narine conceded only 13 runs in his four overs, taking the wicket of in-form Smith.
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Rajasthan Beats Punjab, Kolkata Outplays Pune In IPL
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