Sun sets for KingsXI Punjab

Parthiv, Sammy do it for Sunrisers Hyderabad It almost appeared like Sunrisers Hyderabad was headed for doom in their away match against KingsXI Punjab at the PCA Stadium here on Saturday. However, brilliant bowling performances by Daren Sammy (4/22) and Dale Steyn (2/20) saw them inch their way to the play-off stage after late batting surge by man of the match Parthiv Patel and Thisara Perera powered Hyderabad to set a 151-run target for the host.

Punjab lost the plot even after Luke Pomersbach (33 not out), Adam Gilchrist (26) and Rajagopal Sathish (25) managed to bring an element of respectability to the team score. The wrecker-in-chief was Sammy, who bowled a tidy spell while scalping four wickets and checking any possible assault on the target. Steyn picked up two crucial wickets to thwart any hopes Punjab nursed of pulling off an improbable win. Earlier, the man of the hour for the visitors was Parthiv Patel, who slammed a magnificent 61 to virtually bail the team out of shambles.A He also did a rescue act in the company of Perera by putting on 48 runs for the 7th wicket. Debutant Sandeep Sharma rattled the middle order for a three-wicket haul. He began the downfall by having Hanuma Vihari (5) and later scalped Cameron White and Biplab Samantray off successive deliveries. Brief scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 150 for 7 (Parthiv Patel 61, Thisara Perera 32no, Sandeep Sharma 3/21) bt KingsXI Punjab 120 for 9 (Pomersbach 33 no, Darren Sammy 4/22, Dale Steyn 2/20)