IPL 7: A look into Kings XI Punjab journey to the final

New Delhi: The new look Kings XI Punjab is just a step away from laying their hands on the coveted IPL trophy. Kings XI has been the wisest franchise when it came to buying players before the start of the seventh edition. The team had new captain in form of George Bailey and had believed that Sehwag has still something do deliver and brought the Delhi dasher in the team. But it was the Aussie Glenn Maxwell who set the IPL 7 on fire.The lions started their campaign on a winning note . They played their first game n 18 April against the most consistent side of IPL Chennai Super Kings . It was high scoring match . CSK batted first to put up an imposing total of 205 which looked a competitive score. But the new recruit of KXIP Glenn Maxwell showed his prowess by scoring 95 runs from just 43 balls and achieving the target with 7 balls remaining and thus winning the match by six wickets . David Miller of South Africa also played a crucial role and made 54 runs from 37 balls.The second league match was against the most fancied side of IPL that is Rajasthan Royals. RR made 191 runs in the stipulated 20 overs thanks to half centuries by Samson and Watson. But it was again Maxwell who tormented the opposition bowlers. He made a quickfire 89 runs from just 45 balls and helped his team to win the second match of the tournament. The heroics of the two M's KXIP got home with seven wickets in hand and eight balls to spare. In the process Miller (51*), who faced 19 balls, also scored the second-fastest fifty in IPL history.Sunrisers Hyderabad was the next to face the hammering of the marauding KXIP. The Kings from the north won the match by 72 runs and for the first time the teams's bowling unit also clicked. It was again a Maxwell show who scored 95 runs from just 43 balls to post a total of 43 balls 95 runs. L Balaji bowled an impressive spell of 4 overs for 13 runs and taking three wickets.The Kings XI next opponent was KKR who face them after two wins and one loss,KXIP batters failed for the first time as well as Maxwell who was cleaned up bu Morkel for just 15 runs but their Punjab bowler had other ideas. They defended 132 quite easily and defeated the main in gold and purple by 23 runs.Kings XI Punjab continued their dominance a five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Dubai. With this victory, KXIP end their UAE leg as the only undefeated team in the league. Powered by outstanding bowling performances from Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan and Mitchell Johnson, the RCB line-up was restricted to 124 for eight. And later, their batsmen ensured they scaled the meagre total with five wickets in hand and seven balls to spare. Sandeep Sharma was given the man of the match award for his game-changing bowling performance.After their successful campaign in UAE , the Kings had to play their first match against MI who had lost all their matches in UAE. Batting first KXIP put up a score of 168 runs which were overhauled by the Mumbai batters in 19.1 overs. Corey Anderson was given the man of the match for his all round performance.In the return match the two Kings were once again pitted against one other at the city of Cuttack. But it was the same old script with Maxwell and Miller taking their side to victory. KXIP scored 231 runs thanks mainly to the two Ms.In reply Dhoni's men could just score 187 runs. Maxwell was given the man of the match award for his brilliant knock of 90 runs.The KXIP had tasted the first comprehensive thrashing by the KKR who defeated them by nine wickets with twelve balls to spare. Punjab scored 149 runs which the knights achieved with a brilliant batting from the skipper Gambhir..A combined efforts of the batting unit – including Wriddhiman Saha, Manan Vohra, Glenn Maxwell and George Bailey – Kings XI Punjab comfortably chased down the 206-run target set by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kings XI Punjab pulled off a last-over four-wicket win against the Delhi Daredevils at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium.With these they became the first team of the season to qualifyfor the play off. Powered by Manan Vohra and Akshar Patel's innings, the visitors scaled the 165-run target with four wickets in hand and two balls to spare. KXIP once again had to lose in the hands of MI and these time after the blistering knock of Lendl Simmons who scored the first century of IPL 7. KXIP made 156 runs which the MI team chased down very easily.Kings XI Punjab won the match by 16 runs Despite some late heroics by the likes of Brad Hodge and James Faulkner, the Rajasthan Royals ended up losing their away match .In yet another all-round display, Kings XI Punjab thrashed the wooden spoon holder DD by a massive seven-wicket in Mohali. After dismissing the bottom-placed side for 115, the KXIP batters ensured their side got over the line with seven wickets in hand and 6.1 overs to spare.The first qualifier which was played at the Eden Gardens , the home ground of KKR. The men in purple took full advantage of the ground and whether conditions to reach the final of IPL 7 and KXIP had to play the qualifier 2 . The KKR team defeated the Punjab team by 28 runs .After getting a anti climax finish the Kings of Punjab were pitted against the Kings of Chennai. It was a run fest at wankhade when at first Sehwag got the second century of IPL 7 and help his team post a total of 226 runs. CSK replied strongly but were unable to cross the final hurdle The let-hander scored a 25-ball 87-run blinder as he looked to finish off the run-chase all by himself. However, his unforced dismissal – off a freak run-out in the seventh over .It will be the repeat of the first qualifier when KXIP and KKR will meet each other at Chinaswamy stadium in Bengaluru. It will be the battle between the top two teams who will try to lay their hands on the coveted IPL trophy.