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IPL PHOTOS: Maxwell sets up emphatic win for Kings XI
Glen Maxwell and David Miller once again set the stage on fire to mastermind another huge run chase for Kings XI Punjab against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, in Sharjah, on Sunday.
Chasing a competitive score of 192 for win, Maxwell blasted his way to a 45-ball 89, while Miller bludgeoned his way to an unbeaten 19-ball 51, which helped Punjab win by seven wickets with eight balls to spare.
Earlier, Shane Watson and Sanju Samson had hit half-centuries to help Royals post a competitive total.
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Rajasthan Royals off to a decent start
After being asked to bat first, Rajasthan Royals were off to a positive start.
Ajinkya Rahane picked up from where he left off in the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He started in confident fashion hitting left-arm spinner Akshar Patel for a boundary in the first over before hitting pacer Mitchell Johsnon for another four.
However, his promising innings was cut short due to run out after a misunderstanding with partner Abhishek Nayar as George Bailey hit the stumps with a direct hit.
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Samson at his fluent best
Young batting sensation Sanju Samson came in and took the attack to the opposition right from the outset.
Samson started off with a delightful boundary through the covers, before smoking Lakshmipathy Balaji out of the park.
At the other end, Nayar also got into the act as he slammed Johnson for consecutive boundaries.
Veteran spinner Murali Kathik provided the breakthrough, when he had Nayar trapped leg before wicket as he played down the wrong line.
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Samson, Watson combine well
Shane Watson then joined hands with Samson, to stitch a vital partnership.
The Rajasthan captain was slow to start with allowing young Samson to do the bulk of the scoring, before upping the ante.
Watson was lucky that he was dropped by David Miller, when he was on 12.
After that, he went on the attack, hitting Balaji for six and boundary.
Royals got the big push in the 12th over, in which Karthik leaked 21 runs.
Watson soon reached his half-century with a single off Awana off 28 balls. However, he departed in the next over itself after he was cleaned up by Patel.
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Smith turns the heat on Punjab bowlers
Samson too reached his half-century soon in some style, with a six off Awana. The bowler, however, had the last laugh as he dismissed Samson off the very next ball.
Steven Smith playing his first game with Royals, turned the heat on in the final overs.
Smith hit three boundaries off Balaji, before Faulkner hit one massive six off Johnson as Royals batsmen went on the rampage in the final few overs.
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Kulkarni packs off Sehwag early
Kings XI innings got off to a poor start as they lost the experienced Virender Sehwag in the second over.
Sehwag looking to take on the deep point fielder, slashed a wide delivery from Dhawal Kulkarni, only to hole out to Stuart Binny.
Wriddhiman Saha promoted up the order too couldn’t last long as he fell after scoring just two to leave Punjab in trouble at 10 for two in the third over.
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Maxwell dominates Rajasthan bowlers
Maxwell who hit a belligerent 95 in their opening game against Chennai Super Kings continued his destructive form with the bat.
The Australian made his intentions clear right from the start, when he hit Kane Richardson for a boundary and six.
He followed it up with another assault on pacer James Faulkner, hitting him for two sixes in the over.
Rajat Bhatia and Kulkarni also suffered at the hands of Maxwell. Bhatia first went for 16 runs, which included three hits to the fence, which also brought up his half-cenury followed by 17 from Kulkarni's over
Maxwell's innings came to an end when he skied one to Steven Smith off Richardson after blasting 89 from 45 balls, laced with eight fours and six sixes.
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Miller's quickfire fifty steers Punjab home
David Miller took over from Maxwell as he went after the Rajasthan bowlers.
With 39 needed from three overs for victory, Miller turned the match on it's head as he smashed Kulkarni for 27 runs in the 18th over, including four huge sixes.
He ended the match in grand style with a six off Faulkner that helped him bring up his half-century from just 19 balls and take Punjab to another stunning victory.