Punjab spring surprise by beating IPL leaders Delhi

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa, (Reuters) – The Kings XI  Punjab caused an upset by beating Indian Premier League (IPL)  leaders the Delhi Daredevils by six wickets yesterday.

Delhi now have 16 points from 11 games while the King’s XI  are in sixth place with 12 points from 12 matches.

The Daredevils were put in to bat and Australia fast bowler  Brett Lee led the way as they were restricted to 120 for nine.

Lee had opener Virender Sehwag caught early off an awkward,  lifting ball. He returned in the 17th over to bowl a  wicket-maiden before claiming another scalp in the penultimate  over to finish with three for 15.

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan maintained the  pressure for the King’s XI with two wickets apiece.

Punjab then struggled to 35 for three in reply and would  have been in even more trouble if Gautam Gambhir had taken an  easy catch in the slips off Yuvraj Singh before the batsman had  scored.

Yuvraj went on to add 53 in 10 overs for the fourth wicket  with Kumar Sangakkara (43 not out).

When captain Yuvraj was caught by Sehwag at backward point  for 18, Punjab needed 30 off three overs.

Irfan, though, cracked three sixes in 11 balls to score 21  not out and take the Kings XI to victory in the final over.