A spectacular performance from Kings XI Punjab somehow relieved Rajasthan Royals of their 100% record, in the best game of the IPL so far. Set 192 to win, determined and enterprising batting from Shaun Marsh and David Miller delivered the rarity of a high-scoring thriller, eventually earning a super over in which Marsh excelled once again; he scored 14 of his side’s 15 runs, after which two wickets in four balls secured a memorable win.
Just a short while earlier, things had looked very different. Ajinkya Rahane, whose 74 was his third consecutive half-century, and Shane Watson, who bludgeoned 45 from 35 deliveries, gave Rajasthan the ideal base from which to post a huge total. Their opening partnership was worth 95 in 11.3 overs, and when Deepak Hooda – promoted to No3 – added 19 from only nine balls, a score of above 200 looked possible.
But, though Rajasthan maintained their pace, they could not increase it as expected. Steve Smith and James Faulkner contributed only one between them, so it was left to Karun Nair and Stuart Binny to whack the late boundaries that took the game out of Punjab’s reach.
Or so it seemed. Punjab started slowly, Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay dispatched within seven overs for only 42 runs. But Marsh – making his first appearance in the competition despite a superb record in previous years – quickly got to work. His 65 came from 40 balls, but even so, when Glenn Maxwell fell for one, the cause appeared close to hopeless.
Miller, though, appraised things differently, clouting 54 from 30 deliveries. But each time Punjab appeared to be in the game, they lost a wicket; first Marsh, then Wriddhiman Saha, who thrashed a crucial 19 off eight, and then, in the 18th over, Miller. Somehow, though, Axar Patel and Johnson hustled 25 from the final two overs, setting up the super over.
Punjab went first with Miller taking strike, but he was out immediately, lbw to Chris Morris. This brought the out-of-form Maxwell to the wicket, and when he nudged a single, Marsh took over. Three consecutive fours, one of those off a no-ball, set Rajasthan a gettable, but tough target – which became all the tougher when Mitchell Johnson’s opening delivery clattered Shane Watson’s off-stump.
Smith hit his second one – a no-ball – to the fence but, following a single, Faulkner swung and missed, Saha ran him out, and Punjab had somehow contrived a win. They move to fifth in the table; Rajasthan stay top.
