IPL 7: For the Kings XI, it’s all Maxwell against CSK

Cuttack, May 8: KXIP 231-4 in 20 overs: Glenn Maxwell peppered fours and sixes in a stupendous exhibition of stroke-play as his 90 off just 38 balls took Kings XI Punjab to a mammoth total and a fantastic win.

The most prolific scorer this season continued his show of incredible batting prowess as he butchered Chennai's bowlers to submission and almost single-handedly took Punjab to the highest total of the IPL-7 so far.

Except for Mohit Sharma (2/15), all the Chennai bowlers were punished heavily with Ishwar Pandey (0/41), Dwayne Smith (1/36), Ravindra Jadeja (0/37) and R Ashwin (0/38) being at the receiving end as the 25-year-old Australian hit six fours and eight sixes.

He stitched up a partnership worth 135-runs with David Miller (47 off 32 balls) for the third wicket from just 10.4 overs after the duo came together in the sixth over at 38-2.

The duo added a phenomenal 88 runs in the five overs after the halfway mark, scoring 17, 14, 21, 18 and 14 each over with the 100-run partnership between Maxwell and Miller coming up in just 8.4 overs.

KXIP added an incredible 162 runs in the second half of their innings with captain George Bailey chipping in with a cameo — hammering 40 in just 13 balls.

Virender Sehwag (30) began with a bang by hitting the first ball of the innings but his opening partner Mandeep Singh was out for just three off the bowling of Mohit Sharma in the fifth over.

And just when it looked like Sehwag had returned to his explosive best, he got out in the next over off the bowling of Hilfenhaus.

The out-of-favour former India opener dabbed at a good length delivery with an angled blade and Hilfenhaus managed to nip it back enough to take the inside edge, hit the pads and cannon into the stumps.

Maxwell and Miller soon took over and the duo hit a flurry of fours and sixes with Ashwin being the receiving end of their fury. Maxwell smashed Ashwin for three sixes while Miller did the same once as the off-spinner conceded 38 runs from two overs.

CSK 187-6 in 20 overs: Mighty Chennai may have an excellent batting lineup, but chasing down such a mammoth target was a big ask of even them. Dwayne Smith wilted to the pressure sooner than expected — his only contribution a four off the first ball before he was caught at backward point.

With one of their top performers gone so soon, Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina started scoring at a brisk pace rather than going gung-ho. It worked for a while as they put up a 51-run partnership — but Raina fell in the eighth over as Miller ran in from long-off to take a fine catch. He made 35 off 27 balls with three fours and a six.

Raina was followed by Ravindra Jadeja (17 off eight, 3x4) who was sent in early to start the hitting but he didn't last too long. As Kings XI smelled blood, CSK's batsman looked resigned in the middle. McCullum (33 runs, 29b, 3x4) soon followed Jadeja to the dugout, undone by a fantastic direct-hit on the run from Mitchell Johnson.

Faf du Plessis and Dhoni came on at a time when CSK needed 134 runs from just 48 balls. KXIP were not taking anything for granted and squeezed the run-rate before Du Plessis decided to cut loose.

The South African clobbered five fours and a six in the 17th and 18th over on his way to a 25 ball 52, before scooping straight to short fine-leg. MS Dhoni had enough time to send a six over long-on before edging one to mid-wicket. The match was lost long back and Ashwin and Manhas merely saw off the remaining deliveries.

Turning point: Over number 13 in Kings XI's innings went for 21 runs — 20 off boundaries as Maxwell started his onslaught. From then on, there was no looking back. CSK's bowlers became nervous and Maxwell took full advantage of it.

Man of the match: This one's easy - Glenn Maxwell.