Pune: No one was perhaps more disappointed with Yusuf Pathan than his teammate, Andre Russell, when the former dropped Glenn Maxwell's easy catch off the West Indian's bowling when the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) were batting.
But later, when the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) came out to chase a score of 155 for nine, Russell and Pathan proved to be the best of partners. Reduced to 60 for five in the eighth over and the KXIP pacers spitting venom, the holders were staring at their second defeat in a row.
But the Russell-Pathan duo did not allow it to happen as they built a solid sixth wicket partnership of 95 runs in 59 balls to bring KKR back in the match. It was definitely a hard-earned four-wicket victory, especially in an encounter that was dominated by the fast bowers.
Russell's innings was just what KKR needed - 66 runs off 36 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. He put 90 runs for sixth wicket with Pathan (28 not out). By the time Russell was bowled by Mitchell Johnson, in the 18th over, his team needed just a run to win. And KKR won with 13 balls to spare.
Russell was a runaway winner for the Man of the Match award - he excelled both with the bat and the ball. If his batting was a superb effort under pressure, his two-wicket haul with the ball was no less precious. Actually, his tally of wickets would have been three had not Pathan dropped Maxwell at deep mid-wicket. Russell also took two catches. What more can you ask for in a T20 match?
A lot of eyebrows were raised on the eve of the match when the home side decided to leave some trace of grass on the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) wicket here. The idea was certainly to ensure the extra pace and bounce for their quality fast bowlers. The ploy almost paid off for KXIP. Had not Russell and Pathan stood firm, it would have been KXIP's first victory against KKR in four matches.
Things were really tough for the batsmen in the middle. After KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and invited KXIP to bat, the home team was 27 for three within no time.
George Bailey, the KXIP captain, somewhat retrieved the situation with a lion-hearted 60 off 45 balls. Maxwell too chipped in with 33 off 26 balls, his innings extended because of Pathan's horrendous catching effort.
With Mirali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha and Virender Sehwag gone early, KXIP could never really recover. For KKR, Umesh Yadav, after having come back to the team in place of KC Cariappa, bowled accurately and smartly to emerge as the most successful bowler with three wickets.
No credit denied to the KKR bowlers, especially Yadav and Russell, but the KXIP batsmen needlessly played rash strokes. They were devastated at the start as opener Vijay was out to Yadav off the fourth ball of the first over. They could hardly recover from the blow.
Also, after Saturday's match, the KKR team management should be much relieved about Sunil Narine. Having gone wicket-less in the last two matches, the West Indian spinner displayed his craft well - he gave away only 17 runs in his four overs and captured the wicket of Akshar Patel.
A score of 155 has is an achievable total in T20 cricket. But KKR simply made a mess of it because of their hurried approach. They lost the wicket of Robin Uthappa in the third over, but that did not discourage them from taking an attacking approach.
Both Manish Pandey (12) and Surya Kumar Yadav (23) should blame themselves for losing their wickets, mainly because of impatience.
And when Gambhir (11) too departed, the visitors found themselves in deep trouble.
Pity that KXIP pacer Sandeep Sharma ended on the losing side despite finishing with figures of four for 25. After sending back Uthappa in the second over, he created panic in the KKR dugout. In the eighth over, the 21-year-old Patiala boy sent back Gambhir and Ryan ten Doeschate off successive balls to raise hopes for KXIP.
But then, not all hopes mature into happy endings.
