Warrriors down Kochi Tuskers Kerala by 4 wickets in clash of IPL debutants
Warrriors down Kochi Tuskers Kerala by 4 wickets in clash ofu00a0IPL debutantsu00a0
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It was a matter of which side blinks first in the battle of newbies. Yesterday, it was Kochi Tuskers Kerala.u00a0
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| Pune Warriors batsman Robin Uthappa plays a lofted shot during the IPL match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai yesterday. PIC/AFP |
Once again, an uncapped player was a standout performer for Pune Warriors India. Mohnish Mishra's 37 off 21 balls (two fours and as many sixes) rescued the team from a hopeless situation to steer the home team to their second consecutive win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Nerul yesterday. Pune successfully chased down the target of 149 with four wickets and seven balls remaining.u00a0
u00a0Kochi at one stage was cruising to victory after getting few quick wickets, but Mishra's brilliance was a setback for Kochi skipper Mahela Jaywardene. Mishra and Rahul Sharma (10) added 32 off 19 balls for the seventh wicket to help Pune win. Mishra hit one four and two sixes off Muttiah Muralitharan in the last over to finish it off in style.u00a0
u00a0Pune, who started of cautiously losing only one wicket and scoring 37 in the first five overs, seemed wilting under pressure as they lost wickets in quick succession.u00a0
u00a0Jesse Ryder's 10-ball 17 set the tempo for the team in the beginning. Graeme Smith got going after Ryder's departure, but the South African threw his wicket away. A limping Smith hit a waist-height full toss from Ravindra Jadeja straight to RP Singh at deep midwicket. He was out for 24.u00a0u00a0
u00a0Mithun Manhas, who failed to connect the ball on numerous occasions, gave away his wicket in desperation as the asking rate increased. He was caught by Jadeja off Brad Hodge for 12 runs.u00a0
u00a0A lot was expected from Yuvraj Singh, the Man of the Tournament in the just-concluded World Cup, but the skipper disappointed. Trying to play a cut shot, he edged one to 'keeper Parthiv Patel off Hodge on eight.
Yuvraj also failed with the ball going for 12 runs and wicktless in the solitary over he bowled.u00a0
Robin Uthappa knew who he was taking on ufffd Muttiah Muralitharan. He gained success initially against the Sri Lankan legend, clearing the first ball out of the ground. But his adventurous attitude cost Uthappa his wicket.
He failed to connect a straighter one from Muralitharan that went on to hit his off stump. Uthappa fell for 31.
u00a0It required efforts from uncapped players Mishra and Sharma to help Pune fightback and they did it in style.
