KINGS XI Punjab cruised to their first win of the season after fifties from Manan Vohra and Murali Vijay set up the chase of 153 runs while Glenn Maxwell’s cameo lent the finishing touches as the Rising Pune Supergiants were handed a six-wicket defeat in the 10th game of the Indian Premier League in Mohali.Earlier in the day, Rising Pune Supergiants suffered a late batting collapse and were restricted to 152 for seven in 20 overs despite a classy fifty from Faf du Plessis.
Batting first after winning the toss, Rising Pune Supergiants lost Ajinkya Rahane (9) in the third over, after he struck a couple of boundaries.
Kevin Pietersen (15) plundered two boundaries in the fourth over while du Plessis (67) smashed three more fours in the next eight balls.
With two more boundaries in the sixth over, the South African captain took his team to 49 for one in the powerplay.
Kyle Abbott (1-38) got Pietersen caught at midwicket in the eighth over and at the halfway mark, Rising Pune Supergiants reached 76 for two.
Thisara Perera (8) holed out to long off in the 11th over as Kings XI Punjab followed it up with two more tight overs.
Du Plessis kept his calm and reached a 42-ball fifty while adding a 63-run stand with Steven Smith (38). The Australian skipper plundered Abbott for 15 runs in the 17th over but was dismissed in the next over.
The Rising Pune Supergiants, who were at 140 for four after 18 overs, scored only 12 runs in the final two overs while losing three wickets in the final over, managing to reach a total of 152 for seven.
Vijay (53) began Kings XI Punjab’s chase in a belligerent fashion, hitting three fours and a six in the first three overs.
Vohra (51) followed it up with three boundaries in the fifth over. The fifty run opening stand came in just six overs.
However, Rising Pune Supergiants pulled it back with three tight overs, restricting the opposition to 71 for naught at the halfway mark.
After striking three back to back boundaries in the 11th over, Vohra brought up his fifty off just 31-balls but was trapped lbw by Ankit Sharma (1-27) in the 13th over. They were 97 for one at that stage.
Rising Pune Supergiants came back into the game with a double strike in the 15th over. Marsh was castled by Murugan Ashwin (3-36), while Vijay was caught behind but not before he completed his fifty with a six.
41 runs were needed from 30 balls and David Miller (7) holed out down the ground in the 17th over.
However, Maxwell (32 not out) arrived at the crease and smothered two sixes and two fours in the next eight balls, bringing the equation down to nine runs from 12 balls.
Four balls were all that Kings XI Punjab needed as Maxwell finished the game with a four, securing a six-wicket win for his team, their first victory of the season.
Vohra secured the man of the match for his quick-fire fifty. This win pushed Kings XI Punjab to the seventh spot while the Rising Pune Supergiants continue to remain fourth in the points table.(ANS).