David Hussey helps Punjab set competitive target against Mumbai
David Hussey scored 68 off 40 balls to steer the Kings XI Punjab innings to 168 © AFP
Mohali: Apr 25, 2012
Stand-in skipper David Hussey stroked his way to a 40-ball unbeaten 68 as Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) scored a competitive 168 for three in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Mohali on Wednesday.
Electing to bat, KXIP slumped to 46 for two in the eighth over before Hussey steadied the ship. Hussey found an able ally in David Miller who played a cameo of 17-ball 34 not out as KXIP compensated for a slow start with some big hitting towards the end at the PCA Stadium.
Hussey hit four fours and an equal number of sixes in his knock while Miller smashed three sixes and a four. The duo, who came together in the 13th over, put on 89 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand from 7.1 overs.
For Mumbai, James Franklin, R P Singh and Clint McKay grabbed a wicket each. McKay, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel and Kieron Pollard came in for some stick from KXIP batsmen.
Munaf, who had bowled a disciplined line in his first two overs, found himself at the receiving end in the later part of KXIP innings as Hussey and Miller were in full flow.
Miller hit two sixes in the 18th over bowled by Munaf. He repeated it by hitting two sixes of the final two deliveries of the innings bowled by the same bowler.
Earlier, Kings XI openers Nitin Saini (17) and Mandeep Singh (22) gave their side to a good start. Mandeep, in particular was looking in good knick, scoring at a brisk pace.
However, both got out while trying to accelerate the scoring rate.
R P Singh gave KXIP the first blow when he had Mandeep, who made 22 of 16 balls including four hits to the fence, caught behind stumps when the batsman tried to give a charge to the bowler.
After Mandeep's exit in the sixth over at 35 for one, Saini (17) too, did not last long falling to Australian pacer McKay with Munaf in the deep barely holding on to the catch.
Mandeep also hit three boundaries off McKay in the third over.
Australian Shaun Marsh, who played a brilliant innings in the last match against Mumbai, and Hussey steadied KXIP innings after the two openers were back in the pavilion.
Marsh, however, did not look in his prime touch with Mumbai bowlers bothering him on a few occasions.
In contrast to his batting in the previous match, Marsh consumed 26 balls for his 17 runs that included one four.
Trying to break the shackles, the left-hander handed out an easy catch to Harbhajan Singh giving Franklin his first scalp.
MI had brought in Robin Petersen and McKay in their playing eleven, leaving out Pragyan Ojha. Punjab came into the match having beaten Mumbai by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Punjab have so far won three out of their seven games while Mumbai have three wins from six outings. (PTI)
Brief Score: KXIP 168 for 3 in 20 overs (David Hussey 68, David Miller 34; Clint McKay 1 for 36, RP Singh 1 for 27) vs MI