IPL 9: Kings XI Punjab dance to Rahman’s tunes

The Kings from Punjab played paupers on Saturday night, huffing and puffing to a modest 143/6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here. That total was largely due to disciplined bowling by the hosts led by left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who turned in outstanding figures of 4-1-9-2. Rahman clearly was the man for Hyderabad.

A fine 40 off 34 balls by Shaun Marsh was the lone bright spot of the Punjab innings. Then, a late rally by Nikhil Naik (22) and Axar Patel (36 n.o.) and their 50-run stand for the sixth wicket lent some respectability to the score.

Manan Vohra rode on a fair share of luck to contribute 25 early on. After his edge off the second ball of the innings bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not carry to Shikhar Dhawan at first slip, the opener made good work of the chance with a glance to the square leg fence next ball. Next over, Vohra was beaten twice by seamer Barinder Sran but blasted the next one into the seats behind long-off. His opening partner Murali Vijay wasn’t as lucky though, snicking Bhuvneshwar to Naman Ojha behind the stumps on the first ball of the third over to fall for just 2.

Vohra’s wicket was the result of tremendous pressure built up by the wily Rahman. The Bangladeshi bowled four dot balls to frustrate the Punjab opener, who prodded the fifth to Shikhar Dhawan at short cover, set off for a non-existent single only to dive back and see the stumps shatter with his bat airborne at the crease.

Shaun Marsh, dodged a couple of deliveries early on before smashing one through the covers for a boundary. He then cut a four and smacked a six to get into rhythm but Moises dealt a double blow in the 10th over to lay the visitors low. Punjab powerhouses David Miller and Glenn Maxwell fell in the space of four balls — the former attempting a glide only to see wicketkeeper Ojha grab the catch at full stretch while the latter departed to a well-judged low catch by Rahman at backward square-leg. Punjab, at 65 for 4 in 10 overs, were panting.

Marsh had to accelerate and in trying to do so, survived half-a-chance while on 36 when a diving Bhuvneshwar at point could not wrap his fingers around a slice off Deepak Hooda. However, that did not bother the hosts much as the Australian was trapped leg before by Rahman in the 14th over.

Scoreboard Kings XI Punjab: M. Vijay c Ojha b Kumar 2, M. Vohra run out (Dhawan) 25, S. Marsh lbw b Mustafizur Rahman 40, D. Miller c Ojha b Henriques 9, G. Maxwell c Mustafizur Rahman b Henriques 1, N. Naik c Henriques b Mustafizur Rahman 22, A. Patel (not out) 36, R. Dhawan (not out) 3. Extras: (lb1, w4) 5. Total: (for 6 wkts, in 20 overs) 143. FoW: 1-14, 2-35, 3-63, 4-65, 5-89, 6-139. Bowling: Kumar 4-0-37-1, Sran 4-0-33-0, Hooda 4-0-30-0 (2w), Mustafizur 4-1-9-2, Henr-iques 4-0-33-2 (1w).