DURBAN, (Reuters) – Ravi Bopara blasted his way to a half century to help the Kings XI Punjab beat the Bangalore Royal Challengers by seven wickets at Kingsmead yesterday for their first victory in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).
Bopara carved his way to 84 off 59 balls with four fours and five sixes as Punjab, chasing Bangalore’s total of 168 for nine, scored 173 for three to win the match with six balls remaining.
Opening batsman Bopara initially played a circumspect innings as he used up 46 balls to reach fifty but the right-hander then cut loose, adding 32 runs to his score, off 13 balls.
He was caught at midwicket by New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder off the bowling of seamer Jacques Kallis with Punjab needing 11 runs from 11 balls to win.
Bopara had shared in a third-wicket stand of 66 off 34 balls with skipper Yuvraj Singh and it was Punjab’s captain who finished the match in some style by belting a Kallis delivery over long-off for six to end the innings not out on 30.
Punjab’s innings appeared to have stalled due to an economical performance from leg spinner Anil Kumble, who served up a four-over spell that captured a wicket and cost 19 runs, but then Bopara and Yuvraj took control of the match.
Bangalore’s total was built on 62 off 46 balls from South African Kallis after opener Ryder had got the innings off to a fast start thanks to his 32 from 21 balls.
Left-arm swing bowler Yusuf Abdulla accounted for both men before adding the wickets of England’s Kevin Pietersen (0) and Kiwi Ross Taylor (35) as he finished with career best Twenty20 figures of four for 31 off four overs.
Abdulla received admirable support from fellow left-arm swing bowler Irfan Pathan who snared three for 35 off four overs including two wickets in the last over of Bangalore’s innings.
