Sunrisers Hyderabad produced yet another disciplined bowling effort as Kings XI Punjab came up with an insensible batting performance to be restricted to 123 for nine in a Pepsi Indian Premier League match here today.
Placed at 102 for four after 16 overs, Kings XI made a harakiri and lost their next five wickets for just 21 runs to be restricted to the modest total.
Opting to bat, Kings XI did not have the best of starts as they lost their first three wickets inside the 50-run mark.
Opener Mandeep Singh was the first to depart in the third over, top-edging a short Ishant Sharma delivery to wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock who took a good running catch.
Kings XI captain Adam Gilchrist then tried to forge a partnership along with Paul Valthaty. Gilchrist showed glimpses of his past when he cut and pulled Thissara Perera for three boundaries in his first over to pick up 12 runs.
But with the wicket providing considerable assistance to the spinners, Kings XI's scoring rate slowed down as Valthaty found it extremely difficult to cope up with the sharp turn leg-spinner Karan Sharma was getting from the strip.
Karan struck twin blows in the ninth over in the form of Gilchrist and Valthaty, who fell in a span of three balls.
Gilchrist, who got a start today and seemed determined for a big knock, succumbed to pressure as, trying for big hit, he was caught at deep mid-wicket by Ishant.
Valthaty did not help his side's cause and a ball later he also perished, giving a simple catch to Perara at long-off as Kings XI slumped to 48 for three in nine overs.
