Indian Premier League: All-round Punjab prevail over Kolkata in close finish

Tight bowling and Gony's effort with the bat and ball helps limit the opposition to four runs short.

File picture from last year's IPL of Kings XI Punjab batsman Azhar Mahmood. Sajjad Hussain / AFP
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Toss Kolkata, chose to field
Punjab Gony 42, Mandeep 41; Kallis 3-24, Narine 3-33
Kolkata Gambhir 60, Morgan  47; Mahmood 3-21, Kallis 2-25, Awana 2-39
Man of the match Manpreet Gony (Punjab)

Individual efforts of brilliance from Kolkata Knight Riders, including a half-century from captain Gautam Gambhir and a hat-trick from Sunil Narine, was not enough as Kings XI Punjab prevailed over them in another last-over dash to the end in the Indian Premier League.

Aided by some lusty blows from Manpreet Gony, Punjab recovered from a middle-order collapse to post a healthy total of 157 despite the West Indies spinner Narine taking a hat-trick.

Gony bowled a miserly spell, too, with figures of 1-18 from his over as Kolkata fell short by four runs in their chase.

Man of the match Gony was complemented by some tidy efforts with the ball by Jacques Kallis and Praveen Kumar, especially in the business end, after Gambhir's 60 and Eoin Morgan (47) kept the purple-and-gold outfit in the hunt while wickets kept falling cheaply at the other end.

Five players fell at the identical personal score of one run.

* Agency