Mohali: David Miller played an outstanding innings for Kings XI Punjab as he scored 101 runs off just 38 balls to win this exciting match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at PCA Stadium on Monday.
Miller helped Kings XI to chase down the target of 191 in just 18 overs which was unbelievable. He smacked eight fours and seven monstrous sixes on his way to the scintillating century that captivated the crowd. He had a partnership of 130 runs with R Sathish for the fifth wicket as the duo scored 99 runs from 14th to 18th over to take their side to a comfortable win. R Sathish contributed 27 runs off 18 balls and kept his cool under some serious pressure.
Earlier, it was Manpreet Gony who picked up the wickets of Chris Gayle and Chetashwar Pujara who contributed 61 runs and 51 runs in RCB’s score of 190.
Punjab was off to a terrible start as they lost their opening pair of Shaun Marsh and Mandeep Singh at the score of 25 in just 4.2 overs. Gurkeerat Singh and David Hussey started to rebuild the innings but couldn’t really keep the momentum going and lost their wickets to Murali Kartik and Punjab was reduced to 4/64 in 9.5 overs. When it looked it was all over for Punjab, David Miller once again rose to the occasion. Miller started smashing fours and sixes with ease which simply changed the complexion of the game.
He was dropped at the score of 41 runs by none other than Virat Kohli. Kohli failed to cease the moment and lost the occasion as Miller went onto to add 130 runs with R Sathish and took his side to a comfortable win. This duo scored 99 runs in the last five overs of the innings and won the match with two overs to spare. Miller scored a terrific century off just 38 balls and was very well complimented by Sathish, who scored 27 runs off just 18 balls.
Earlier in the match, it was the opening duo of Pujara and Gayle who did the damage to Punjab’s bowling attack as they added 102 runs for the opening stand. Gayle departed after contributing 61 runs off 33 balls. He scored six fours and three sixes in his knock whereas Pujara smashed eight fours in his 51 runs. Both the openers were sent back to pavilion by Manpreet Gony who ended his spell with the figures of 2/41.
AB de Villiers took the centre stage for RCB and started off slowly. Kohli departed after scoring run-a-ball 14 which brought Moises Henriques to the crease. Piyush Chawla also bowled brilliantly as he gave away just 26 runs in his four overs. But Henriques and De Villiers knitted a brilliant partnership of 46 runs for the fourth wicket and took the score to 190 runs. De Villiers played another crackling innings of 38 runs off just 19 balls whereas Henriques smashed 16 runs of seven balls that he faced.
By ISN