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IPL PHOTOS: Maxwell, Miller blast Punjab to victory over Chennai
Glenn Maxwell and David Miller blasted half-centuries to power Kings XI Punjab to a six-wicket victory against Chennai Super Kings in a high scoring encounter in Indian Premier League, in Abu Dhabi, on Friday.
- Scorecard
Electing to bat first, Chennai posted a huge 205 for four in their 20 overs with Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith hitting 67 and 66 respectively.
But Glenn Maxwell destroyed the Chennai bowling with an entertaining innings of 95 from 43 balls, while David Miller stroked 54 from 37 balls as Punjab scored 206 for four in 18.5 overs to win with seven deliveries to spare.
Chennai off to a flying start
Both McCullum and Smith, who were playing their first match for CSK, went on the attack right from the word go.
They showed scant respect for Australia's Ashes hero Mitchell Johnson to the cleaners, hitting Australian for 14 runs in his very first over. Parvinder Awana also suffered and so did the other Punjab bowlers as Chennai raced 70 for no loss in the first six overs of Powerplay, their best start in IPL.
McCullum completed his half-century from 30 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes.
Smith shines with the bat
West Indian Smith, who played for Mumbai Indians previously, made a good start with the bat for his new franchise.
He was watchful at the start and played second fiddle to McCullum before deciding to take on the Punjab bowlers.
Smith brought up his fifty from 37 balls as CSK went past the 100-run mark, in the 10th over.
McCullum, Smith put on 123 runs for opening wicket
McCullum and Smith put on 123 runs from just 76 balls for the opening wicket before the former was dismised by left-arm spinner Akshar Patel.
McCullum played a splendid innings of 67 from 45 balls, hitting four fours and five sixes in total.
Suresh Raina, playing in his 100th IPL match, made 24 (19 balls), while Mahendra Singh Dhoni stroked a quickfire 26 from 11 balls as Chennai posted a huge 205 for four in their 20 overs.
Sehwag dismissed for 19
Virender Sehwag gave Punjab a flying start, hitting 19 from 10 balls, before he was dismissed by veteran Ashish Nehra in the third over.
Cheteshwar Pujara was trapped leg before wicket by R Ashwin for 13, while debutant Akshar Patel also fell to Ashwin as Punjab were reduced to 51 for three in the sixth over.
Maxwell's attack stuns Chennai
Glenn Maxwell revived the Punjab innings with some brave shots, including the reverse sweeps and switch hits against the spinners.
Maxwell and Miller kept the scoreboard moving with good rotation of strike and regular boundaries to take Punjab past 100 in the 11th over.
Chennai were made to pay dearly for their lapses in the field. The dangerous Maxwell (37) was put down by Nehra at short thirdman off Jadeja, while Miller also got a lifeline.
Maxwell brought things under control as he slammed left-arm spinner Pawan Negi for 22 runs in the 13th over. He was eventually after dismissed after a whirlwind innings of 95 from 43 balls, having hit 15 fours and two sixes at an amazing strike rate of 220.
Punjab start off IPL 7 with a confident win
David Miller took over the mantle after Maxwell's dismissal as he hit Jadeja for back to back sixes, in the 18th over.
Captain George Bailey hit the winning runs as he pulled Mohit Sharma for a boundary through midwicket.
Miller finished unbeaten on 54 from 37 balls, with the help of three fours and three sixes, while Bailey made 17 from 10 balls.
This was only the fourth occasion that a total in excess of 200 has been chased down successfully, in the IPL.