SCOREBOARD
Pune Warriors
Ganguly c Chavan b Tait 14
Clarke lbw b Binny 16
Uthappa c Yagnik b Tait 13
Majumdar b Botha 30
Smith not out 18
Mathews run out 11
Manhas b Tait 11
Parnell not out 2
Extras: (lb-7, w-3) 10
Total: (6 wkts, 20 ovrs) 125
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-35, 3-77, 4-83, 5-107, 6-122.
Bowling: Chavan 2-0-20-0, Tait 4-0-13-3, Watson 4-0-28-0, Botha 4-0-25-1, Binny 3-0-12-1, Trivedi 3-0-20-0.

Rajasthan Royals
Dravid c Clarke b Parnell 14
Rahane c Smith 
b Bhuvneshwar 0
Watson not out 90
Menaria c Manhas 
b Clarke 18
Shah not out 4
Extras 0
Total (3 wkts, 16.2 ovrs) 126
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-49, 3-105.
Bowling: Parnell 2-0-12-1, Bhuvneshwar 3-0-17-1, Kartik 3-0-32-0, Nehra 3-0-33-0, Mathews 3-0-15-0, Clarke 2-0-12-1, Smith 0.2-0-5-0.

New Delhi, May 8
Kolkata Knight Riders took revenge on Delhi Daredevils when they inflicted a six-wicket defeat on the hosts in the Indian Premier League at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here yesterday night. Chasing 154 for victory, KKR coasted to 154 for 4, with eight balls to spare. They came under pressure when they lost a well-set captain Gautam Gambhir for 68. Thereafter, runs came only in a trickle, till Irfan Pathan bowled a costly third over, which was the 13th, to hold out hope for the visitors, as they now needed to make 47 off 42 balls.

With Brendon McCullum and Jacques Kallis going great guns, the target was reachable. But Umesh Yadav struck two deadly blows, scalping Kallis and McCullum off successive balls, to put KKR under stress, at 3 for 128. But with only 26 runs needed from 29 balls, the target was within the reach of KKR, and their cause was helped by a poor all-round display by the hosts.

Daredevils should blame themselves for the defeat, as some loose bowling (seven wides), dropped catches and misfielding cost them dear, as they suffered their second home defeat, and third overall.

Kolkata Knight Riders thus not only avenged their eight-wicket defeat to Daredevils at the Eden Gardens in the second match of IPL V on April 5, but also jumped to the lead with 17 points from 12 matches — a point ahead of Daredevils, though the hosts have played one match less.

Captain Gautam Gambhir led from the front by putting on a 68-run opening-wicket partnership with McCullum. After Gambhir’s exhit, McCullum’s 56 proved the lifeline in KKR’s eventual triumph. When Virender Sehwag falls early, Delhi Daredevils fail to hoist a substantial total, and that is what happened today, as they folded up for 153 for 9. Sehwag won the toss and batted first, but the start was not so breezy, as Brett Lee bowled a fiery maiden over, beating David Warner thrice on the off side.

After Bret Lee’s maiden over, Sehwag set the stands afire when he carted Pradeep Sangwan over mid wicket for the first boundary, and then hit him for another four and a huge straight six to take 16 runs off the hapless left-arm pacer, who also hails from Najafgarh like Sehwag. Sangwan conceded 17 runs in the over, and then it was Warner’s turn to show Lee his place by hitting him for a huge six and a four, as Lee was blasted for 15 runs in the third over. After three overs, Delhi Daredevils were 34 for no loss, but the law of averages finally caught up with the Delhi captain. 

SCOREBOARD
Delhi Daredevils 
Warner McCullum b Kallis 21
Sehwag lbw b Kallis 23
Jayawardene run out 30
Taylor c Bhatia b Sangwan 16
Irfan st McCullum b Narine 36
Nagar b Lee 10
Ojha c Tiwary b Narine 2
Morne run out 0
Nadeem not out 0
Aaron run out 1
Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-11) 14
Total: (9 wkts, 20 ovrs) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-49, 3-95, 4-100, 5-125, 6-146, 7-152, 8-152, 9-153.
Bowling: Lee 4-1-39-1, Sangwan 4-0-42-1, Kallis 4-0-20-2, Narine 4-0-23-2, Bhatia 4-0-26-0.

Kolkata Knight Riders
McCullum c Sehwag b Yadav 56
Gambhir b Aaron 36
Kallis c Naman b Yadav 30
Tiwary c Irfan b Morne 8
Yusuf not out 7
Das not out 1
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 7) 16
Total (4 wkts; 18.4 ovrs) 154
Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-128, 3-128, 4-147.
Bowling: Irfan 3-0-28-0, Nadeem 4-0-32-0, Morne 4-0-35-1, Yadav 4-0-30-2, Aaron 3.4-0-20-1.

Setting Deccan a stiff target of 171, the Kings XI bowlers put in a disciplined effort as they kept the scoring rate in check all through, and also picked up wickets at crucial junctures. Praveen Kumar, Parvinder Awana and David Hussey picked up two wickets each as Piyush Chawla got one. Romesh Powar, opened the bowling for Kings in what was his first game during this year’s IPL.

For Deccan, none of the batsmen got going and Daniel Harris top-scored with 30 for the home side.

Earlier, Mandeep Singh smashed a strokeful 48-ball 75 as Kings XI Punjab posted a challenging 170.

Mandeep blasted eight fours and three sixes to set the foundation for a big score for the Kings XI. The right-handed batsman stitched 55 runs for the opening wicket, before adding 39 and 33 runs with Hussey and Azhar Mahmood respectively. The 20-year-old opener started the proceedings for Punjab on a cautious note before blasting two fours and a six in the second over off Veer Pratap Singh.

Other opener Shaun Marsh also picked up three boundaries spread over two overs off Rusty Theron before being dismissed by part-time spinner Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan deceived Marsh on the flight as the ball deflected off the pads onto the stumps. Ashish Reddy then dismissed Nitin Saini in his first over to reduce Punjab to 58-2 in 7.4 overs. However, Mandeep hit the last ball over wide long-on.

Amit Mishra was then introduced into the attack but skipper David Hussey sent him sailing over extra over only in his second ball. Mandeep too ensured that runs keep coming thick and fast and brought up his fifty with a lofty inside out shot off Daniel Harris over cover.

Veer then got rid of Hussey when he had him caught at long-off. But Mandeep was unperturbed and blasted successive fours off Mishra through the midwicket area to bring up the hundred for Punjab. In the 15th over, Mandeep took Veer to the cleaners. He first slammed a six over fine-leg and then one ball later, scooped one over the bowler's head.

Sachin Tendulkar will look to provide Mumbai with a solid start as they try and cement a play-off spot.

Mumbai, May 8
Buoyed by their sensational last-ball victory over Chennai Super Kings, a keyed up Mumbai Indians take on strong challengers Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial Indian Premier League game, here tomorrow. While MI have garnered 14 points from 11 matches, RCB are trailing them by three points, having played the same number of games ahead of the high-octane first leg clash. If MI stopped the Super Kings in their tracks when new recruit Dwayne Smith smashed Ben Hilfenhaus for a six and two fours off the last three balls, RCB were no less impressive in pulling off a thrilling victory over Deccan Chargers.

AB de Villiers' 17-ball unbeaten 47 swung the game RCB's way and he, along with another in-form batsman Chris Gayle, is a major threat to Mumbai's hopes of pulling off their fourth straight victory.

A victory for MI would boost the points tally to 16 with four games left and would help them draw level with Delhi Daredevils, albeit with one game less in hand. But more importantly it would ease the pressure enormously from their shoulders in the red-hot race to the last-four.

A setback for last year's runners-up RCB would put them under the same sort of difficulties that are being faced by two-time holders Super Kings after their defeat to MI.

In batting RCB have been well-served by left-handed West Indian powerhouse Gayle (433 runs from 10 games) at the top, and classy right-handed South African de Villiers (292 from 11 games) – who can switch-hit powerfully to spoil the spinners' plans - in the middle.

These two batsmen, averaging 48-plus, have shouldered the responsibility of propping up the Bangalore batting admirably in which another key member – India star Virat Kohli – has, unfortunately, not lived up to the high expectations.

Tilakkaratne Dilshan has settled in the top order well and RCB would be depending a lot on this overseas trio and Kohli in batting against the varied Mumbai attack, spearheaded by speedster Lasith Malinga. The big worry for RCB is the Kohli's lack of form. He has scored just 201 runs from 11 games. Mayank Agarwal and Saurabh Tiwary have also not made any significant contribution. — PTI

New Delhi, May 8
With empty seats due to lack of official clearance for a few stands becoming an eyesore during IPL matches in Chennai, there is a move within the BCCI to shift the eliminator and the final to an alternate venue to ensure a full house.

While most of the other venues have attracted capacity crowd, Chennai has been an aberration with as many as 12,000 seats going empty because clearance from the city planning department for want of building approval is still awaited.

The three stands — G, H and I — each of them with capacity of 4,000 seats, remained unoccupied since the West Indies-India one-dayer in November last year and the subsequent Champions League Twenty20 tournament as well.

Although no BCCI official is willing to speak openly on this issue, there are murmurs of a move to get the marquee matches (eliminator May 25 and final May 27) out of Chennai.

"We have witnessed amazing response at all the venues of this year's IPL. It will be a pity if the final is played in front of a half-empty stadium. Therefore, the possibility of shifting the matches from Chennai is being explored," a top BCCI official told PTI.

The new-look galleries were built after demolishing the old stands as part of redevelopment of the four-decade-old Chepauk stadium. But it has been sealed since October last after the Chennai Corporation issued a lock and seal notice citing lack of building approval. The stands were open during the World Cup last year.

Initially, the IPL authorities were told that the TNCA would get the requisite approvals within the first few games. — PTI

Patiala, May 8
While Indian fans were eyeing the boxing superstars during the recently-concluded President’s Cup at Kazakhstan, there was one boxer who made India proud during his very first international tournament. Patiala-lad Kanwarpreet Singh Bainiwal, who is a BA-II student of MM Modi College under Punjabi University, Patiala, won a bronze medal in the +91 kg weight category defeating many top boxers and made his debut a big success.

Talking to The Tribune on reaching the city today, Kanwar Preet said he was really excited about his medal and his joy knew no bounds. “I have been working really hard to prove myself and enter the Indian squad and I am glad that I could make best use of the opportunity given to me. Being my first tournament, I was shouldering huge responsibility. While all other boxers who accompanied me are already well renowned, I am still struggling for my identity but am happy that I could live up everyone’s expectations,” added Kanwar Preet.

About the prospects of boxing, he said it is a much sought out game in India these days and therefore it’s very difficult to make a room for you amongst such a talented lot. He said, “I certainly give the credit of my success to my coaches Gurbax Singh Sandhu and Harpreet Singh and to my father who always stood by me. He has been my biggest inspiration and I am glad I have been able to fulfill his dream. But, this is just the beginning. I too want to represent Inbdia in Olympics pone day and win a gold medal there.”

Welcoming him at gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib, Gurpreet Singh Raju Khanna said he was proud of Kanwar Preet and wishes him luck for future tournaments also.