CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – Dwayne Bravo and Sachin Tendulkar led the Mumbai Indians to an eight-wicket victory over the Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday.
Fourth-placed Mumbai now have 11 points from 11 matches, a point behind the Deccan Chargers and two adrift of the Chennai Super Kings. The Delhi Daredevils are top with 14 points from nine games.
The Bangalore Royal Challengers (10 points from 11 games) also stayed in the hunt for a place in the semi-final knockout stages by beating the Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in the opening match of the Centurion double-header.
Punjab opener Sunny Sohal blasted a quickfire 43 but the innings almost ground to a halt when Mumbai off-spinners Harbhajan Singh and JP Duminy were introduced.
Duminy picked up two for 15 while Harbhajan took one for nine in four overs as Punjab limped to 119 for nine in 20 overs.
Mumbai’s reply started badly when Sanath Jayasuriya was caught at third man off Brett Lee for four.
However, West Indian all-rounder Bravo and Indian great Tendulkar shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 82 to carry the Kings XI to victory with 22 deliveries to spare.
Bravo stroked 70 not out off 59 balls while Tendulkar cruised to 41 not out from 29 deliveries.
Earlier, Kolkata’s bowlers failed to defend a score of 173 for four against Bangalore.
Kolkata were put in to bat and were in trouble at 21 for two before being rescued by 84 not out in 64 balls from New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum, who hit 10 fours and two sixes.
Another Kiwi, Ross Taylor, then stole McCullum’s thunder as he lashed 81 not out in 33 deliveries to steer Bangalore to victory with four balls left.
Taylor bludgeoned seven fours and five sixes.
