Punjab record thrilling win over Pune

MOHALI: Kings XI Punjab defeated Pune Warriors for the second time this season with a thrilling last over finish here at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday.

The home team chased down a stiff 186 and got past the hurdle with seven wickets in hand and a ball to spare. David Miller (80 not out) and mandeep Singh (77 not out) powered the chase with an undefeated 128 run partnership.

KXIP's chase started poorly as they lost skipper Adam Gilchrist (4) and Azhar Mahmood (0) have the home team reeling at five for two.

Then Mandeep Singh Manan Vohra put on 53 runs for the third wicket before Yuvraj Singh bowled Vohra (22).

At the halfway stage, KXIP were 83 for 3, still requiring 103 runs from 60 balls. Miller continued his assault and brought up his maiden IPL fifty in the 16th over.

Needing 29 off the final two overs, Miller struck consecutive boundaries off Ashok Dinda to reduce the target to 16 to be got off the last over. Miller slammed two sixes to see KXIP home with a ball remaining.

Earlier KXIP won the toss and put PWI in. Aaron Finch, the stand-in captain for this match, hit Mahmood for a six and a boundary after he was given an early reprieve as Gilchrist dropped him on 1 in the second over. Robin Uthappa and Finch put on a good foundation as PWI scored 48 runs when the field restrictions were in force. Manpreet Gony's first over was dispatched for two boundaries.

Parvinder Awana provided the much needed breakthrough when he had Uthappa (37) caught behind.

Finch continued to attack smashing Gony for a huge six over mid-wicket. Yuvraj also got into the act dismissing Chawla for a six in 14th over. Gony then had the dangerous Finch (64) caught in the deep, while Yuvraj (34) picked up the mantle and hit two sixes off Gony in the 17th over before Mahmood dismissed him.

Wright (34), playing his first match of the season, started straight away striking four successive boundaries before smashing two more and a six off Praveen Kumar. Wright's blistering cameo, a 10-ball 34, propelled PWI to 185 for 4 in 20 overs.