Kings XI coach lauds bowler's effort in the team's thrilling low-scoring win over Mumbai
Kings XI coach lauds bowler's effort in the team's thrilling low-scoring win over Mumbai
Tensions ran high and the pendulum swung from one end to the other before the Kings XI Punjab squeezed out a dramatic three-run win over the Mumbai Indians in Match 20 of the Indian Premier League at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban last night.
Requiring 12 runs from the final over, the Mumbai Indians, who had restricted the Kings XI to 119-8 of their 20 overs, were in with a chance to win with Jean Paul Duminy settled in well and in full bloom.
But Yusuf Abdulla, who has fashioned some stunning left-arm swing bowling for the Punjab side, produced yet another gem this time off the fourth ball of the final over delivery when he had the little Duminy caught on the mid-wicket boundary by substitute Simon Katich for 59 to put an end to the Mumbai Indians' hopes.
Abdulla was the toast of the Kings XI once again. It was the third time the 26-year-old KwaZulu-Natalian had produced stunning results with the ball for the team. In the match against the Bangalore Royal Challengers he took 4-31 and turned things around with a 3-21 against the Rajasthan Royals at Sahara Park at the start of the week.
"It's great to see a young bowler like Yusuf stepping up time and again to produce the magic we look for in the death overs and also in the crucial middle overs. He's done brilliantly for us and we hope to go from strength to strength from here," said Tom Moody, the coach of the Kings XI Punjab said afterwards.
What was required on an extra-ordinarily slow Sahara Stadium Kingsmead wicket was 120 by the Mumbai Indians but losing regular wickets saw them capitulate under pressure.
"We needed at least one or two 35-40 run partnerships but we were unable to get it as the Kings XI bowled superbly under the conditions to squeeze us out of the game. All credit to them for a well-earned win but there's still a long way to go in the competition and hopefully we put things right in the next few games," Sachin Tendulkar said.
Punjab were kept under check throughout their innings while scoring 119-8 with Kumar Sangakkara, an experienced batsman, scoring 45 off 44 balls with two 6s and a four to be the highest scorer for his team.
The pick of the Mumbai Indians bowlers was Lasith Malinga with 2-12 of four overs.
The Mumbai Indians were in trouble in the opening overs they lost Sanath Jayasuriya (0) and then Tendulkar (1) before slumping to 12-3 in the fifth over when Shikar Dhawan (3) was sent back by Abdulla.
However Duminy tried to get his side going but there was little support as the Kings XI bowlers strangled their batting. Abdulla finished with 2-19 while the others took a wicket a piece.
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