Punjab, Chennai win in IPL

HYDERABAD, India, AP:

Adam Gilchrist and Paul Valthaty smashed half-centuries in a successful run chase for Kings XI Punjab yesterday beating Deccan Chargers by eight wickets in the Indian Premier League.

Man-of-the-match Valthaty was out for 75 and also took 4-29. He put on 136 for the opening wicket with Gilchrist (61) as the visitors reached the target of 166 with 14 deliveries to spare.

Earlier yesterday, Michael Hussey hit an undefeated 83 off 56 balls to help Chennai Super Kings beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 21 runs.

After Punjab chose to field, Valthaty took four wickets with his medium pace to restrict Chargers to 165-8 in the allotted 20 overs. He dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (45), Bharat Chipli (14), Daniel Christian (30) and Amit Mishra for a duck before leading the run chase with eight fours and five sixes in a 47-ball knock.

Gilchrist hit five fours and three sixes from 46 balls and Valthaty also took 23 runs in a single over from Manpreet Gony before both openers fell in quick succession to Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra.

Kings XI finished at 166-2 in 17.4 overs.

Hussey hit 11 fours and a six as the IPL defending champion Super Kings reached 183-5.

Bad start

Royal Challengers made a bad start to their run chase - losing a wicket in each of the first two overs - and finished on 162-7, despite a fighting 65 by South African AB de Villiers.

Man-of-the-match Hussey and Murali Vijay (31) took Super Kings to 51-0 after the hosts opted to bat first. Vijay fell to Ryan Ninan after hitting the off-spinner for a six on the previous delivery.

Hussey was lucky to be dropped on two occasions but made full use of the reprieves, sharing another half-century partnership for the third wicket with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Hussey reached his half-century in style with a six and four off successive deliveries from Challengers captain Daniel Vettori.

Suresh Raina hit 29 and Dhoni scored 22 as the hosts increased the run rate before Raina fell to Ninan and Zaheer Khan dismissed Dhoni. South African pacer Johan van der Wath dismissed Albie Morkel for nine and Subramaniam Badrinath for five in the final over.

Super Kings took a Challengers wicket as early as the second ball when Morkel sent back Tillakaratne Dilshan - caught at midwicket for a duck. New Zealand pacer Tim Southee bowled Asad Pathan for 14 in the second over.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed opener Mayank Agarwal for seven to reduce the visitors to 31-3 but Virat Kohli lifted the innings with an aggressive 35 before falling to left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati.

De Villiers hit five fours and two sixes but Sri Lankan spinner Suraj Randiv struck off successive overs to dismiss Saurabh Tiwary and Cheteshwar Pujara. De Villiers was finally caught off Morkel.

Today, Pune Warriors play Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders take on Rajasthan Royals.

Scores: Chennai Super Kings 183-5 in 20 overs (Michael Hussey 83 not out, Ryan Ninan 2-31) def. Royal Challengers Bangalore 162-7 in 20 overs (AB de Villiers 65, Suraj Randiv 2-24) by 21 runs.

Kings XI Punjab 166-2 in 17.4 overs (Paul Valthaty 75, Adam Gilchrist 61, Amit Mishra 2-28) def. Deccan Chargers 165-8 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45, Paul Valthaty 4-29) by eight wickets.