Chennai Super Kings Down Kings XI Punjab in thrilling clash

Mohali, Apr 19 (UNI) In a pulsating encounter, Chennai Super Kings came up with a sterling performance to beat Kings XI Punjab by 33 runs in the second match of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) here today.

Indian one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is leading the Chennai outfit, elected to bat first after winning the toss.

The decision, however, seemed to backfire as the Super Kings were reeling at three for 62 in the eighth over.

The Chennai team were saved by Australian batsman Micheal Hussey who hit a hurricane 116 of just 54 balls at a breath taking strike rate of 214.81. His innings was studded with eight boundaries and nine sixes.

Hussey, who received the Man of the Match award for his efforts, was ably supported by Suresh Raina (32 runs off 13 balls) and S Badrinath (31 runs off 14 balls) as Chennai scored 240 for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Dhoni, however, left his fans disappointed as he could only muster a meagre 2 runs before being trapped leg-before by James Hopes.

Kings XI Punjab started with a bang as openers K Goel and James Hopes smashed 50 runs in just five overs.

They suffered their first setback in the sixth over when Goel caught behind off the bowling of M Goni.

Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara then joined Hopes at the crease and duo smashed the Chennai bowlers to all corners of the field, before the Aussie was caught by Joginder Sharma as he tried to hit Badrinath out of the park.

The home crowd cheered lustily as local lad Yuvraj Singh came out to bat. But Yuvi left his fans disappointed as he played cross-batted shot off Sharma only to be caught by Amarnath at long-off. Yuvraj had scored 23 off 13 balls.

The rest of the Punjab batsmen failed to keep up the momentum as the asking rate kept soaring and the Super Kings held on to secure a well deserved win.

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