Kings XI Punjab thrash Delhi Daredevils by 29 runs
Kings XI Punjab defeated Delhi Daredevils by 29 runs to keep their hopes of qualifying for the play offs alive in their Indian Premier League match.
Earlier, a quickfire 102-run stand for the third wicket between Paul Valthaty (62) and Shaun Marsh (47) helped Punjab post a challenging 170 for six against Delhi, which remained unbeaten in the end.
The KXIP innings revolved around Valthaty's 50-ball 62 and Marsh's 28-ball 47 while their other colleagues failed to contribute much after being sent into bat at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.
During his innings, which was studded with six fours and three sixes, Valthaty went past Royal Challengers Banglore's Chris Gayle in the most runs scored in the tournament with 438 to take the orange cap.
Marsh maintained his red-hot form by hitting five fours and three sixes in his blistering knock.
For Delhi, Irfan Pathan was impressive in his 3/28 from four overs while Aavishkar Salvi chipped in with two wickets.
Captain Adam Gilchrist (9) continued his poor run in form as he was out in the fourth over to a Morne Morkel delivery which he mistimed to lob it to David warner at mid-on.
Pathan, who has been ordinary so far in the tournament, struck two vital blows by removing both Valthaty and Shaun Marsh in two consecutive balls.
First, he induced a top edge to Marsh with a ball that moved away after landing at the off for Morkel to take the catch after running from third man region and end the 102-run stand for the third wicket from 10.5 overs.
Next ball, a pumped up Pathan sent Valthaty's timbers cartwheeling with a fullish delivery which straightened after landing. Pathan, however, could not claim a hat-trick as David Hussey fended off his delivery for a single.
Another KXIP wicket could have fallen in the form of new man Dinesh Karthik but Delhi wicketkeeper Naman Ojha failed to take a simple catch and conceded a boundary.
David Hussey and Mandeep Singh were out in the 17th and 18th overs, the latter becoming Pathan's third victim after hitting the bowler two consecutive boundaries.
Karthik, the hero of KXIP in their win over Kochi Tuskers Kerala in their last match, fell in the final over bowled by Salvi after hitting two fours.
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