Former champions Kolkata rode on captain Gautam Gambhir’s unbeaten 63 and two sizeable partnerships to register a crucial nine-wicket win over table toppers Punjab in the 34th IPL match at Barabati Stadium here on Sunday.
Chasing 150 for victory, Kolkata romped home with two overs to spare and in the process, moved up to the fourth position in the league table. They also avenged the 23-run defeat they suffered at the hands of Punjab in the first-leg held in UAE.
Gambhir’s opening partner Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey also made notable contributions in the imposing win, hitting 46 (28b, 8x4, 1x6) and 36 not out (35b, 3x4), respectively. Gambhir led from the front to register his third half-century in a row. His 45-ball responsible knock was embellished with seven boundaries.
Initially, Gambhir played second fiddle to the in-form Uthappa, who hammered Sandeep Sharma for three fours in the third over to indicate that he was in a punishing mood. In the next over, Uthappa blasted Mitchell Johnson for a six over third-man and followed it up with three fours in a row.
Uthappa, while compiling 68 runs for the opening wicket with Gambhir, missed out on what would have been his third half-century of the season. He got out flicking Parvinder Awana uppishly to mid-wicket, where Akshar Patel took a beautiful catch.
After the exit of Uthappa, Gambhir took charge of the chase and his unfinished 82-run association with Pandey helped Kolkata overhaul the target comfortably. Of course, Gambhir got a life when dropped on 57 by his opposite number George Bailey at mid-wicket, but that did not matter much as Kolkata were at the doorstep of victory.
Earlier, Virender Sehwag’s sizzling half-century helped Punjab muster a respectable total of 149 for eight. Put into bat, Pujab however failed to capitalise on a flying start given by Sehwag, who anchored the innings with a 50-ball 72 (11x4, 1x6).
Barring medium-pacer Jacques Kallis, who leaked 38 runs in three overs, Kolkata bowlers did a good job in restricting the marauding Punjab batsmen, especially at the death. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was most successful, bagging three wickets for 19 runs, while speedster Morne Morkel picked up a brace for 20.
Sehwag was in an aggressive mood from the word go as he hit Kallis for four boundaries in in the opening over, which fetched 17 runs. But his young opening partner Mandeep Singh’s poor run continued. Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha looked in good touch, but he failed to cash in on the good start as he played on, edging an incoming delivery off Morkel in the next over for 15. Punjab then suffered a major jolt as Maxwell got out for 14.