Azhar Mahmood and Shaun Marsh smashed a half century each and rescued Kings XI Punjab from a disastrous start to post 183 for eight in their Pepsi IPL match against Mumbai Indians here today.
Already out of contention for a play-off berth, Punjab played freely with Marsh (63) and Mahmood (80) punishing the errant Mumbai bowlers with a slew of fours and sixes after being put in to bat at the picturesque HPCA stadium.
Mahmood struck eight fours and four sixes in his 44-ball knock while Marsh hit 11 fours during his 47-ball innings. The duo rescued the Punjab side with a 148-run third wicket stand in 14.2 overs after the hosts were reduced to six for two in the third over.
Mahmood was the more aggressive of the duo who scored more than 10 runs an over. Manan Vohra chipped in with an eight-ball cameo of 20 not out towards the end.
For Mumbai, Lasith Malinga grabbed three wickets for 39 runs while Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rishi Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh and Kieron Pollard took a wicket apiece.
Punjab had the worst possible start with openers Mandeep Singh (1) and Adam Gilchrist (5) back in the dressing room by the third over with just six runs on board.
Mandeep misread a Dhawan delivery which pitched outside off and ended up spooning it straight to Pollard at mid-off in the second over.
Playing in his last IPL match, Gilchrist failed to make a mark as he was out in the third over, clean-bowled by Coulter-Nile.
