Chawla stars in narrow Punjab win
by Jason Humphries 15 April 2012, 15:57
Piyush Chawla nabbed three quick wickets as the Kings XI Punjab pulled off a narrow two-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
Full Scorecard
Punjab posted 134 for nine with West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine grabbing 5-19 on a pitch which was offering up appreciable turn.
Kolkata could manage only 132 for seven with leg-spinner Chawla claiming 3-18 but the hosts would have thought that they were in with a chance as they began the penultimate over needing 13 runs to win.
But seamer Praveen Kumar conceded just four runs off the 19th over before medium-pacer Harmeet Singh held his nerve in the final over as he bowled Ryan ten Doeschate (11) while allowing only six runs.
Kolkata, despite the early loss of Jacques Kallis (1) and Gautam Gambhir (22) seemed to be well in control of their run-chase as they reached 73 for two in the 11th over.
Manvinder Bisla (27) and Manoj Tiwary (20) had put on 43 runs for the third wicket but their stand was ended when Tiwary was trapped leg-before by left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt
Kolkata then went into freefall as they lost four wickets for the addition of just 15 runs.
Chawla struck twice in one over when he bowled Bisla with a straight delivery before he bowled the dangerous Yusuf Pathan (0) with a googly.
Chawla was not done yet and in his next over he caught and bowled Shakib Al Hasan (4) off a top edge as Kolkata crashed to 88 for six in the 15th over.
But Ten Doeschate and Debabrata Das, who made batting look easy on a difficult pitch as he struck a fine 35 not out off 23 balls, looked to have put their team in sight of victory before their run-gathering ground to a halt.
Earlier Punjab, after being asked to bat, were soon in trouble as they slipped to 21 for two with Narine accounting for Adam Gilchrist (5), caught at cover, before he bowled Shaun Marsh (1).
Mandeep Singh (38) and David Hussey (32) steadied the innings with a third-wicket stand of 52 but just as the pair looked to have settled in, Mandeep was caught at deep midwicket off the bowling of left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan.
Hussey was then run out at the non-striker’s end after a throw from Gambhir at point to leave the visitors on 85 for four.
Punjab proceeded to lose five wickets for the addition of 43 runs with only Bipul Sharma (12), Chawla (13 not out) and Harmeet (14) reaching double figures.
Seamer Rajat Bhatia enjoyed a good game with the ball as he claimed 2-14 off four overs.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS: MS Bisla (wk), G Gambhir (capt), JH Kallis, MK Tiwary, YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan, R Bhatia, DB Das, SP Narine, JD Unadkat
KINGS XI PUNJAB: AC Gilchrist (capt & wk), P Dogra, DJ Hussey, SE Marsh, Mandeep Singh, AD Mascarenhas, Bipul Sharma, PP Chawla, Harmeet Singh, P Kumar, BA Bhatt
