HYDERABAD, India, (Reuters) – Paul Valthaty continued his dream run in the Indian Premier League as he shone with both bat and ball as Kings XI Punjab thumped Deccan Chargers by eight wickets yesterday.
The 27-year-old opener, who struck the first century of this year’s IPL earlier this week to rise from obscurity, claimed four wickets with his medium pace and then returned to belt a 47-ball 75 to script the Punjab side’s second victory in three matches.
Shikhar Dhawan (45) and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (35) raised Deccan’s hopes of a big total but Valthaty (4-29) and his bowling colleagues managed to restrict them to 165-8.
Returning to chase down the target, Valthaty hit eight fours and five sixes and starred in a 136-run opening partnership with skipper Adam Gilchrist (61) to lay the foundation for a win that came with 14 balls to spare.
In Chennai, Australian Mike Hussey’s (83 not out) belligerent half-century guided Chennai Super Kings to a 21-run victory over Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Dropped by substitute fielder Mohammad Kaif early in his innings, Hussey punished the Bangalore bowlers with a whirlwind knock, while his top order colleagues batted around him to power the home side to 183-5.
Bangalore’s chase got off to a wobbly start as they lost their scoreless opener Tillakaratne Dilshan to the second delivery of the innings, while pinch-hitter Asad Pathan did not click either.
AB de Villiers (65) and Virat Kohli (35) rebuilt the innings but the required run rate kept soaring and the Bangalore side eventually managed 162-7, thus succumbing to their third defeat in four outings.
