Mohali: Akshar Patel's cameo of 23 off just 9 balls and David Miller's 34-ball 46 under pressure helps Kings XI Punjab notch up a four-wicket victory over Barbados Trident in the Oppo Champions League twenty20 here today.
Put into bat, Barbados posted a challenging 174 for six, riding on twin half-centuries by Dilshan Munaweera (50) and Raymon Reifer (60) in their stipulated 20 overs.
Punjab then managed to held on to their nerves despite losing wickets to eventually earn a hard-fought victory, their second win in as many matches in the tournament.
Needing 25 off the last two overs with four wickets in hand, Miller and No. 8 Akshar Patel (23) scored 47 runs off 19 balls to take their team home.
Chasing 175 to win, Punjab were off to a good start with openers Virender Sehwag (31) and Manan Vohra (27) sharing 41 runs in 22 balls but the latter was dismissed by Ravi Rampaul in the fourth over.
Sehwag and newman Wriddhiman Saha then added another 35 runs before the wicket-keeper batsman was sent back into the pavillion by James Franklin in the eight over.
Glenn Maxwell (16) then joined Sehwag and the Australian soon started his innings with a boundary. However his stay was short lived as after hitting three fours in eight balls he was caught by Ashley Nurse off Rampaul in the 10th over.
In the 12th over, Sehwag too was back into the pavillion after he was trapped in front of wicket by Sri Lanka's Jeevan Mendis as Punjab slumped to 103 for four.
A lot was expected from skipper George Bailey but the Australian could not stay longer as he gave an easy catch to Franklin off a Mendis delivery. Three balls later, Nurse got rid off Perera for a first-ball duck as Punjab were reduced to 131 for six in 16.3 overs.
Stranded on the other side, David Miller then blasted a six and a four spread over two overs but Punjab still needed 25 off the last two overs.
Patel, who had just come into the crease, then turned out to be an unlikely hero as he blasted three fours and a six in the 19th over as Punjab amassed 20 runs.
Miller then put the icing on the cake with a six over wide long off as Punjab registered their second win in two matches.
