TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 (PAGE 14) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU Bravo, Finch ensure Gujarat Lions Title hungry RCB to open IPL Medal chance at stake as India 9 campaign against Sunrisers take on Pakistan in Azlan Shah enter IPL with easy win BENGALURU, Apr 11: his worth by producing an all- IPOH (Malaysia), Apr 11: position as top hockey nations, round show after he became the an India-Pakistan encounter MOHALI, Apr 11: over of their chase when the ed only 45 runs for eight overs over long-on and followed it up Desperate to break their title costliest player in this year's IPL With medal hopes at stake, a never fails to be a showstopper Kiwi batsman was stumped by and Finch had done his job with an exquisite cover drive. jinx, Virat Kohli-led Royal scrappy India will have to lift Dwyane Bravo recorded his auction. He was fetched by RCB at any tournament. He was in such good touch Challengers Bangalore would be their game by leaps and bounds best IPL figures with a four- for a whopping Rs 9.5 crore. The silver jubilee edition of that he drove even good length hoping for a positive start to their when they take on sub-continen- wicket haul before Aaron Finch If needed RCB might also be the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup will balls effortlessly to the bound- campaign in the ninth season of tal rivals Pakistan in the 25th smashed 74 runs off 47 balls as prompted to utilise the services see the spotlight focused on the ary ropes. He did not slog and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey Gujarat Lions thumped hosts sub-continental encounter even played proper cricket shots at a TODAY'S FIXTURE tournament here tomorrow, in Kings XI Punjab by five wick- as World no 1 Australia take on good pace. RCB Vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Bengaluru) 8 PM what promises to be an intense ets to make a winning entry into title holders New Zealand in Vohra welcomed left-arm encounter. the Indian Premier League of Travis Head and Sarfaraz another fixture the same day. paceman James Faulkner with a the Indian Premier League Five-time winners of the match, here tonight. Khan, who have shown their "The whole of India is wait- crushing drive but was dropped against Sunrisers Hyderabad, tournament, India were bronze Invited to bat, Punjab open- capability in the T20 format. ing for the next game, but I keep next ball when he lofted the ball here tomorrow. medalists last year and are eager ers Murali Vijay (42) and New incumbent Stuart Binny telling the boys that this is just in the air only to see Bravo spill Despite having a formidable to stay in medal contention. But Manan Vohra (38) put on 78 and Mandeep Singh would also another game," said India's chief the chance. side, RCB have never won the the Sardar Singh-led side, which runs in 8.2 overs to lay a strong be hoping to play important coach Roelant Oltmans. Faulkner conceded 14 runs IPL title since the tournament's features several youngsters, will foundation for a big score but roles, as only four international "We should maintain focus in his first over and the hosts inception in 2008. On two occa- have to raise its game by many other batsmen failed to capi- players are allowed in the playing on our game just like in any raced to 50 inside six overs. sions -- 2009 and 2011 -- they fold after surviving a torrid time talise and the hosts setled for Aaron Finch during his 74 runs power-packed knock against eleven. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja man- came closest to the title but ended against Canada yesterday. other match. We have a tough 161 for six. Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Monday. Having lost the services of aged to stop the run flow from up second best on both the times. India's 3-1 victory over schedule starting with the match Ravindra Jadeja (2/30) their main strike bowler Mitchell Saha off Sandeep Sharma but nicely. one end and also broke the Leaving behind all the off- Canada has placed them third in against Pakistan," said the removed both the openers but it Starc, New Zealand's Adam the visitors went about their Karthik, who was happy opening partnership by dismiss- field controversies surrounding the round-robin league standings Dutchman. was West Indies' seamer Bravo Milne is likely to lead the bowl- business calmly and overhauled playing a second fiddle when ing Vohra, whose inside edge former franchise chairman Vijay with six points from three out- Pakistan coach Khwaja (4/22) who turned it around for ing attack in the company of the target with 14 balls to spare. Finch was batting at the other was easily taken by Dinesh Mallya, this time around RCB ings, while Pakistan have three Junaid, a former international, the Lions by dismissing big-hit- Kane Richardson, Harshal Patel, Captain Suresh Raina (20) end, took lead in polishing off Karthik. would be hoping to break the jinx points from as many matches. wants his players to display their ting David Miller and Glenn Sreenath Arvind and Varun also fell after a positive start but the remaining runs. Stage was set for fireworks under the leadership of Kohli, Pakistan's lone win came against skills and control the emotions Maxwell in space of three balls Aaron. Finch was solid at the other Karthik lost another partner and in came Punjab skipper who has been in sublime form. Canada by a similar margin. when they play India tomorrow. in the 12th over. But RCB would be missing end, rattling up a 65 stand for Kohli, who is considered as World champions Australia "The match against India Punjab struggled to get the services of West Indies legs- the third wicket Dinesh Karthik SCOREBOARD one of the best batsman in the are leading the standings with a will be a turnover game," said quick runs after that and had it spinner Samuel Badree for the (41 off 26 balls). Kings XI Punjab innings world at present, is in supreme maximum nine points from three Junaid. not been for Marcus Stoinis' 33- first few matches as he is yet to Finch stroked the ball with M Vijay b Jadeja 42 form and had amassed 273 runs consecutive victories, while "The team that manages to run knock and his 55-run part- recover from a shoulder injury authority and did not spare a M Vohra c Karthik b Jadeja 38 in five ICC World T20 matches defending champions New defend the counter-attacks better nership with Wriddhiman Saha suffered during the World T20. single Punjab bowler. The pitch D Miller b Bravo 15 to bag player of the tournament Zealand are on eight points from will have an edge. We are now (20) they would have struggled In Badree's absence, RCB at IS Bindra stadium was con- G Maxwell b Bravo 2 award. four matches. trying to rebuild our squad. to go past even 150-run mark. would bank on Yuzvendra ducive for strokeplay and way- W Saha c Jadeja b Bravo 20 Kohli would be eyeing to The intense hockey rivalry What is important is that we fol- Bravo accounted for two Chahal, who has had fairly good ward bolwing by Punjab play- M Stoinis c Finch b Bravo 33 carry on the good form in the IPL between the two teams has low our game-strategy, play in a more batsmen in the last over outings in a couple of previous ers only helped the Lions. A Patel not out 4 structure and show unity in the for his franchise, which also has IPL seasons by taking 15 wickets always attracted immense inter- and became the only player in The Australian punished M Johnson not out 0 some of the big names of the in 2015 and 14 wickets in 2014. est. Despite slumping from their field," he said. (PTI) IPL to have a combo of 1000 Punjab bowlers with 12 shots to Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 4) 7 game in its batting department. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the runs and 100 wickets. the fence before being stumped Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 161 With the likes of Kohli, big- other hand, have been a major Lions lost Brendon off left-arm spinner Pradeep Bowling: P Kumar 4-0-25-0, P Sangwan 2-0-21-0, J Faulkner hitting Chris Gayle, dangerous disappointment ever since their McCullum (0) in the very first Sahu. At that stage Lions need- 4-0-39-0, S Ladda 2-0-21-0, R Jadeja 4-0-30-2, D Bravo 4-0 AB de Villiers and seasoned debut in 2013 when they reached 22-4. Shane Watson up its rank, RCB the play-off stages. Gujarat Lions possesses a mighty batting unit Nevertheless Sunrisers would A Finch st Saha b Sahu 74 which on its day can tear apart like to leave behind the disap- B McCullum st Saha b S Sharma 0 any bowling outfit. pointments of previous seasons S Raina c Johnson b Stoinis 20 Just-retired Australian with an improved show this time D Karthik not out 41 Watson would be hoping to prove around.(PTI) R Jadeja run out 8 I Kishan c Sharma b Johnson 11 D Bravo not out 2 KCCC crushes Friends Extras (LB-3, WD-3) 6 Total (For 5 wickets in 17.4 overs) 162 Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 3-0-21-1, M Johnson 4-0-35-1, Cricket Club by 10 wkts M Sharma 2.4-0-24-0, M Stoinis 2-0-27-1, A Patel 2-0-17-0, P Excelsior Sports Correspondent Atul and Ricky were the two Dignitaries during opening of new Centre of Career Abacus Sahu 4-0-35-1.