Bravo stars as CSK maul Punjab

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Australia will have the services of Glenn Maxwell in their T20 against Pakistan on Monday morning (AEDT) after Kings XI Punjab were thrashed by Chennai Super Kings in the second Oppo Champions League semi-final in Hyderabad.

A superb 67 from Dwayne Bravo was the key factor in CSK’s 182, and it was a total that was never threatened, as Kings XI fell to 6-34 before some late hitting saw the final margin of 65 runs.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Kings XI would have been pleased with the match’s opening stanza, as the key figures of Dwayne Smith (14), Brendon McCullum (6) and Suresh Raina (6) all fell quickly.

Parvinder Awana was the key man with the ball, the right-arm paceman taking two early wickets to put George Bailey’s side very much on the front foot.

Through the returning Faf du Plessis and enigmatic West Indian Bravo, Chennai have considerable depth to call on, and the two combined for an excellent counter-attack through the middle overs.

Du Plessis enjoyed the early running, carving out a superb 46 from 33 deliveries, before he was bowled by Akshar Patel, leaving Bravo to assume centre stage.

With a series of cavalier strokes through and over the off-side, he raced to his half-century from just 29 balls, pushing the score toward 150 in rapid time.

With Bravo in devastating touch and plenty of talent still to come, a 200-plus total looked likely at one point, however the wicket of pinch-hitter Pawan Negi (8 off 5) was immediately followed by the crucial scalp of skipper and master finisher MS Dhoni, who exited first ball after chipping tamely to midwicket.

The double breakthrough came from that man Awana (4-30), who was a leading light from a Kings XI side missing the pace and aggression of Mitchell Johnson.

Bravo eventually fell for 67 (39) with the score at 7-160, and so it was left to Ravi Jadeja to provide a late spark, which he did superbly, crunching 27 not out from just 13 balls to give his side a particularly imposing total.

In just the second over of Kings XI Punjab’s innings, McCullum continued to enhance his reputation as one of world cricket’s most lethal fielders, with the New Zealander getting his hands under a contentious catch at point.

Virender Sehwag stood his ground, the decision was referred to the third umpire, and despite no particularly conclusive replays, the Indian legend was forced to exit stage left without having troubled the scorers.

Mana Vohra (16) and Wriddhiman Saha (6) sought to rebuild but their fightback didn’t last long.

Saha was the second wicket to fall, clean bowled by Ashish Nehra (2-9), and four balls later Nehra had the prized scalp of IPL7 MVP Glenn Maxwell (0), who continued his run of disappointing scores, gloving a leg-side delivery through to Dhoni behind the stumps.

When Vohra went the following over, it was 4-24 and Kings XI had lost 3-0 in the space of eight deliveries.

But the carnage was far from over.

Next to go was the other Australian in the middle order, former national T20 captain George Bailey, who managed only six before picking out McCullum at cover, who held onto the simplest of chances.

The wicket was from Negi’s (2-28) first delivery, and he got another with his third, Thisara Perera’s lusty blow finding Bravo on the midwicket boundary.

The wickets continued to tumble thereafter, and despite some late lusty hitting from Akshar Patel (31 off 18) and Karanveer Singh (17 not out off 25) to add some form of respectability, the final winning margin told the tale of a T20 humiliation for Kings XI Punjab.

The win came shortly after the news that Kolkata Knight Riders will be missing star spinner Sunil Narine after the West Indian was again reported – and therefore ruled ineligible for the final – during KKR’s semi-final win over Hobart Hurricanes.