Kings XI Punjab beat Rajasthan Royals by 48 runs

Riding on Shaun Marsh’s scintillating 71-run knock, Kings XI Punjab defeated Rajasthan Royals by 48 runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium here Thursday.

Chasing Kings XI Punjab’s imposing 195 for seven, Rajasthan Royals could only get 147 for seven in 20 overs. Rajasthan’s chase started on a disastrous note as they lost openers Swapnil Asnodkar (9) and Rahul Dravid (8) for just 18 runs in the third over.

Shane Watson (24), Ross Taylor (30), Ashok Maneria (34) and Ashok Raut (25) got starts but couldn’t convert it into a match winning knock.

Earlier in the day, Marsh anchored the Punjab innings after the openers — skipper Adam Gilchrist (28 off 16) and Paul Valthaty (46 off 31) gave the hosts a great start by scoring 67 runs in just 4.2 overs.

Gilchrst and Valthaty were out off no balls in the first and second over respectively but Rajasthan paid a very heavy price for the two mistakes as the hosts went on to rattle up the fastest team-fifty and team-hundred.

In three overs, Punjab had 52 runs on the board with Gilchrist and Valtahty hammering Siddharth Trivedi and Tait all around the park.

Marsh was ably supported by Dinesh Karthik (21) and the two added 70 runs for the third wicket. It was the highest total so far in the fourth edition of the Twenty20 tournament.

Marsh’s whirlwind innings came off just 42 balls and was studded with six fours and three sixes — all three coming off in a single over bowled by Shane Warne.

Marsh was in great touch and hit some classy boundaries and one such shot was a cover-drive off spinner Abhishek Raut. Marsh then hit Warne for three sixes in the 14th over and got to his fifty.

The hosts were well set for a 200-plus score at one stage as they were 169 for two in 15 overs but Rajasthan bowlers made a good comeback in the last five overs as they gave away just 26 runs and took five wickets.

Australian pace duo of Shuan Tait (3/23) and Shane Watson (2/24) shared five wickets between them and bowled four of the last five overs.