23:30 (IST) GL: 162/5, Overs: 17.4
Mohit Sharma to finish up his quota of overs. He bowls slow short balls, but is put away with ease by Bravo into the gaps on the leg side. Karthik charges down the track and smashes the next slower one towards deep midwicket for a boundary to finish the match and win it for the Gujarat Lions.
Gujarat Lions beat Kings XI Punjab by 6 wickets!
Aaron Finch has been adjudged as the Man of the Match for his knock of 74 off just 47 balls with 12 fours.
Follow the post-match reactions here: Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions: Live Cricket Score & Ball by Ball Commentary
23:20 (IST) GL: 151/5, Overs: 17.0
Johnson bowls his final over, and gets smashed through the cover for four off his first ball. He takes a risky single off the next as Axar misses the stumps from point. Kishan backs away outside leg on the next ball and Johnson follows him by bowling it short and outside leg.
However, Kishan stays put inside his crease on the following ball and picks Johnson over midwicket, flicking it off his legs for his 2nd boundary.
Kishan goes for it off the next ball too, trying it cut it over cover, but gets a leading edge, and Mohit takes a tumbling catch at point top send the youngster back.
Ishan Kishan is OUT! Dwayne Bravo comes in to bat!
Karthik punches the next ball down the ground for a boundary to make it 14 runs and a wicket off the over.
23:17 (IST) GL: 142/4, Overs 16.0
Sahu bowls his last over. Kishan dabs and runs, and nearly gets himself run-out at the other end. The throw from short midwicket wasn’t spot on. Kishan chips the 5th ball in the air towards square leg but away from the man for a couple. He sweeps the next ball towards fine-leg for four.
23:15 (IST) GL: 134/4, Overs: 15.0
Johnson has been brought back, as the last throw of the dice by the Kings XI, it seems. Jadeja picks up a lightening double, and follows it with a single. Karthik tries to dab the next ball and run, but Johnson, with some excellent football skills, just kicks the ball onto the stumps and runs Jadeja out.
Jadeja has been RUN OUT! GL: 133/4!
Ishan Kishan, on debut, walks in, and whips the ball off his pads towards midwicket for a single. Johnson has got his tail up, it seems, with that wicket, as he bowls an excellent bouncer to Karthik.
23:05 (IST) GL: 130/3, Overs: 14.0
Sahu continues, as Punjab continue to look for wickets. Jadeja mistimes one high in the air, but it lands in between long-off and long-on, just inside the ropes, where Johnson does extremely well to cut it off.
Karthik reverse sweeps on the last ball to pick up a boundary.
23:00 (IST) GL: 121/3, Overs: 13.0
Mohit Sharma comes back, with Punjab needing heaps of wickets. He bowls a tight wicket to wicket line and concedes only singles. Just 4 runs scored off a good Mohit Sharma over, but, no wickets.
22:55 (IST) GL: 117/3, Overs: 12.0
Sahu continues, and Karthik sweeps him through deep midwicket for another four. Sahu not getting it right at all at the moment.
Finch cuts the 3rd ball just out of the reach of Anureet Singh at point for four, but Sahu comes back, with a ball that spun at a bit, and defeated Finch’s bat to go into Saha’s hands, who whips then bails off to send the well set batsman back.
Finch is OUT! Ravindra Jadeja comes in to bat!
22:50 (IST) GL: 108/2, Overs: 11.0
Sandeep Sharma comes back, and gets driven straight down the ground by Finch. It was cut off excellenty by the long-on fielder to keep it down to two.
Sandeep bowls a slower bouncer, and Finch cuts over the head of the keeper for a boundary. 9 runs off this over.
22:45 (IST) GL: 98/2, Overs: 10.0
Pradeep Sahu, making his IPL debut, comes in to bowl leg-spin. Finch bludgeons a short ball by the debutant over deep midwicket for a boundary. 9 runs from Sahu’s 1st over.
22:40 (IST) GL: 89/2, Overs: 9.0
Axar Patel continues, and conceded just 2 off his first three balls. He misses his line and bowls a wide down the leg side. Just singles and doubles off that over.
22:35 (IST) GL: 83/2, Overs: 8.0
Stoinins continues, bowls a slower short one outside off, which Finch places expertly in between the men in the point region for a boundary. Karthik drives one off the front foot, but is fielded at deep cover.
Finch, then, plays another exquisite straight drive on a slower ball to bring up his 50! Well played, Finch! 50 off just 32 balls!
Karthik follows Finch with another drive straight down the ground for another four.
22:30 (IST) GL: 68/2, Overs: 7.0
Axar Patel comes to bowl. Dinesh Karthik, the new man, cuts him through point for a boundary. Axar strays in line and bowls one on Finch’s pads, and the Aussie just gets some bat to it and the ball runs towards the fine-leg boundary.
22:25 (IST) GL: 57/2, Overs: 6.0
Marcus Stoinis brought to bowl medium pace, and Raina pulls him for a six over midwicket. 50 up for Gujarat Lions!
But Stoinis strikes back with a slower ball, that deceives the left-hander as he just chips it in the air over mid-on where Johnson takes an easy catch. Raina is OUT!
Finch, however, is unpertured by everything going around him as he cuts one through point for another four. Powerplay is done and GL are 57/2!
22:20 (IST) GL: 45/1, Overs: 5.0
Change of ends for Johnson. But is doesn’t seem to work, as he bowls another short one, just outside off, which Finch guides towards the third man area behind point for a four. Johnson switches sides, comes around the wicket, and Finch plays towards square leg for a single.
The veteran Australian doesn’t seem to get it right after a break of several months, as he bowls two consecutive wides. 9 off Johnson’s second over.
22:15 (IST) GL: 36/1, Overs: 4.0
Mohit Sharma brought into the attack and Finch welcomes him by hitting him over long-on for a boundary. Width outside off was offered and gratefully accepted. The 2nd ball folows the exact same story as Finch nails another one through long-on. Consecutive fours for Finch!
Mohit bowls short again, and slow, and Raina shuffle across and plays it away from short fine-leg for another four.
22:10 (IST) GL: 23/1, Overs: 3.0
Sandeep continues, and Finch drives one towards cover, where Axar Patel field brilliantly to stop a certain boundary. Suresh Raina takes strike, having walked in to bat at No. 3, and launches his second ball straight above Sandeep’s head for GL’s first six!
Rains turns the next one around the corner towards backward square leg, where Stoinis saves a run, by cutting the ball off at the boundary.
22:05 (IST) GL: 12/1, Overs: 2.0
Mitchell Johnson comes in to bowl after a gap of several months, and Finch, after mistiming one over covers, smashes one over cover-point for Gujarat’s first boundary. Johnson comes round the wicket immediately and darts one into the body of Finch, which the batsman defends.
Johnson fires in another, this time short, but Finch rocks back and pulls it excellently over square leg for another boundary. 11 off the over!
22:00 (IST) GL: 1/1, Overs: 1.0
Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum opening for Gujarat Lions. Sandeep Sharma takes the new ball, and swings it in to Finch straight away. The ball hits Finch on the pads but was high and was going down leg.
The Australian gives himself room off the very next ball but mistimes. He hits the next one in the air but towards the man placed at long-on, who takes it at one bounce. McCullum takes strike and is flummoxed by Sandeep’s pace and movement as he walks down the track, but misses the ball, and Saha who was standing up to the stumps, whips the bails off.
McCullum stumped by Saha off Sandeep. GL: 1/1!
21:55 (IST) KXIP: 161/6, Overs: 20.0
Bravo is now the leading wickettaker in T20 cricket surpassing Lasith Malinga, many congratulations to him!
Good batting performances by Vijay, Vohra & debutant Stoinis for Punjab. Will need to back it up with a strong bowling and fielding performance to restrict the Gujarat Lions.
For the Lions, they will be hoping their superstar openers Finch & McCullum get off to a blazing start and setup an easy win. Probably scoring became difficult when pace was taken off the ball, and hence Finch and McCullum will look to target the new ball. Well on most days McCullum needs to invitation to get going from the first ball.
21:50 (IST) KXIP: 161/6, Overs: 20.0
So, 161/6 for KXIP. They started ridiculously well and will feel they have ended up short after their brilliant start. Vijay and Vohra got off to a blazing start, getting the 50 in the less than 6 overs. At the halfway stage, they were 85 - 1. After that, it was the Jadeja and Bravo show. Jadeja took the scalps of both the openers. Bravo then joined in and took the wickets of Miller & Maxwell in one crucial over.
Bravo: "Not a bad start, my bowling is important for this new setup. The bowlers did a great job to restrict them to 160. The slower ball is something I'm working on and I'm glad to have taken Miller's wicket. As a bowler, you have to keep innovating so no one can get used to you. I wasn't aware I crossed 300 wickets in T20 cricket, I wish a speedy recovery to Malinga."
21:40 (IST) KXIP: 161/6, Overs: 20.0
Bravo bowls the last over, and after the first ball had dropped short of fielders, Saha launches another one in the air, which is taken by Jadeja at deep midwicket to end the Bengal-been batsman’s dismal run at the crease.
Bravo picks up his third wicket!
And he follows it up by getting Stoinis caught by Finch at long-on this time, to claim his 4th wicket! Bravo on a hattrick!
Axar Patel, facing the hattrick ball drives it through the covers, where Raina misfields, but Finch cuts it off and keeps it to two.
Bravo, bowls another slower ball, the last ball of the innings, deceives Axar to top edges it high in the air, but Ladda drops the catch at short third man position.
Bravo finsihes with 4/22 off his 4 overs. KXIP finish on 161/6.
21:35 (IST) KXIP: 155/4, Overs: 19.0
Faulkner comes in, and bowls wide yokers. 150 raised for KXIP now in the 19th over. Saha tries the ramp shot off the 4th ball, but misses it altogether. The Gujarat bowlers have tightened the hold on the Punjab batsmen and are not letting it go.
Stoinis smashes the last ball, that was overpitched, but not yorker length, through the covers for four, to make it 9 off the 19th over.
21:30 (IST) KXIP: 146/4, Overs: 18.0
Praveen Kumar shows his experience in the death overs, and keeps bowling it full, almost yorker length to the batsmen, who just can’t manage a boundary from anywhere. They’re just hitting it straight to long-off towards Bravo. 3 runs from first 3 balls.
However, Stoinis improvises off the last ball for a paddle sweep cum ramp shot by walking across hs stumps and launching the yorker towards fine leg for four.
21:25 (IST) KXIP: 136/4, Overs: 17.0
Faulkner continues, from around the wicket, and starts with a slow wide ball to Saha. Gets the edge of the bat, but bounces before carrying to Karthik. He’s bowling so many slower ones that even thekeeper, Karthik is finding it difficult. Karthik misses a slow bouncer behind the stumps which allows the batsmen to collect a bye.
Only singles and couples in the over, just 6 from it.
21:20 (IST) KXIP: 130/4, Overs: 16.0
Praveen Kumar comes back to bowl and bowls an excellent yorker on the middle stump to Stoinis. Kumar, too, is bringing up his variations with his slower ones and is also bowling some excellent yorkers. Just 5 runs off the 16th over!
21:15 (IST) KXIP: 125/4, Overs: 15.0
James Faulkner brought back. He too has excellent slower balls up his sleeve. He bowls a wide, though, second ball. A couple collected off the second ball. Stoinis and Saha are rotating the strike very well, and are dispatching the bad balls as well, as a wide ball by Faulker is cut by Stoinis towards point for a boundary.
Stoinins steps down on the 5th ball, but only gets an underedge towards long-on for a single. Faulkner strays in line once again as he bowls another wide in pursuit of bowling the one off the back of the hand. 11 runs from the over!
21:10 (IST) KXIP: 114/4, Overs: 14.0
Bravo continues, and continues mixing his balls up and keeping the batsmen guessing. Stoinis and Saha, at the moment, can’t get him away.
Stoinis finally breaks the deadlock, by slamming a short ball over fine leg for a much needed boundary.
21:00 (IST) KXIP: 107/4, Overs: 13.0
Jadeja continues, and there is a huge mix-up between Saha and Marcus Stoinis, as Saha dabs a ball to point and sends Stoinis back who was already halfway down. There is a direct hit at the non-strker’s end, but Stoinis was just in.
Jadeja is darting in fast deliveries at the moment, and only singles are being scored off him.
20:55 (IST) KXIP: 102/4, Overs: 12.0
Bravo continues and bowls a bouncer first up to Maxwell, which the Australian pulls for a single. Bravo strays in line and bowls a wide, next. 100 has been raised for KXIP!
Bravo, who was only playing with his pace thus far, bowls an excellent pacy yorker right at the base of Maxwell’s middle stump to uproot it, and send perhaps the most dangerous Punjab batsman back to the pavilion.
Mawell bowled by Bravo!
Wriddhiman Saha walks in, and Suresh Raina, perhaps in excitement, gives away a run through overthorws.
But perhaps that overthrow was needed, as Bravo foxes Miller with an excellent off-cutter and knocks over his middle stump as well.
Miller bowled by Bravo for 15!
20:50 (IST) KXIP: 98/2, Overs: 11.0
Jadeja continues after a successful last over. Miller gives him the charge on the second ball, but could manage only a couple. The tight line and lengths work yet again, as Jadeja knock’s over vijay’s leg stump with a straighter one to send back Punjab’s most settled batsman thus far.
Vijay gets bowled by Jadeja. Glenn Maxwell walks in!
Miller comes down the track and launches Jadeja for a mammoth six way over long-on to spoil a successful over for Gujarat.
20:45 (IST) KXIP: 87/1, Overs: 10.0
Dwayne Bravo brought into the attack and starts with a slower one, which Vijay runs down towards third man. Miller drives the next ball to deep coer for a single. The Caribbean is mixing up his line and length as he bowls a slow bouncer, which Vijay lets go.
Just 5 runs from Bravo’s first over.
20:40 (IST) KXIP: 82/1, Overs: 9.0
Jadeja continues and gets swept over deep midwicket for a six off his second ball. But the Saurashtra spinner responds by getting Vohra caught by Karthik just in front of the stumps as a quicker one by takes the inside edge of Vohra’s bat, deflects off the pads and balloons up in the air.
1st wicket for Gujarat! David Miller walks in, who glances his second ball towards the vacant fine leg area for a four.
20:35 (IST) KXIP: 71/0, Overs : 8.0
Ladda continues, and hits Vijay on the pads first up by beating his bat with a straighter one. The next two balls are swept to Jadeja at deep midwicket, before Vohra uses his feet and launches the 4th ball over the bowler’s head for a gigantic six.
The local boy follows it up with a ferrocious pull over long-on for another boundary. Ladda gave it some air and Vohra took him on.
20:32 (IST) KXIP: 57/0, Overs: 7.0
Ravindra Jadeja has been brought on, who begins with a tight wicket-to-wicket line. He bowls in the middle and leg stump channel and gives away just 5 runs in his first over.
20:30 (IST) KXIP: 52/0, Overs: 6.0
Sarabjit Ladda brought into the attack to bowl leg-spin in the last over of the powerplay. He goes for just two runs off his first three balls, but gives it some air on the 4th, and Vijay launches him over his head towards long-on for a boundary.
Ladda follows that up with a beautiful leg-spinner that pitches and turns away from the right-hander, as Vijay gets beaten by the turn, and Dinesh Karthik whips the bails off. However, Vijay had got his foot back in the crease, just in time.
20:25 (IST) KXIP: 45/0, Overs: 5.0
James Faulkner brought into the attack, and Vohra takes him straight away by a magnificent drive stright down the ground. Faulkner follows that up with a short ball, which Vohra miscues, but Dwayne Bravo fails to latch on to a running catch at long-on, coming in from deep midwicket. That ball just popped out of Bravo’s hands.
Vohra adds insult to injury by flicking the fifth ball, that was on the pads over square leg for the 2nd boundary of the over and follows that up with an inside out shot over extra cover for the third boundary of the over.
20:20 (IST) KXIP: 31/0, Overs: 4.0
Sangwan begins his 2nd over with a good line and bowls two dot balls, but Vijay improvises on the third ball by walking across the stumps and flicking a ball that was on the pads over square leg for another four. He drives the next ball handsomely down the ground for a couple.
If that drive was elegant, the next one through cover was exquisite as Sangwan errs in line yet again and bowls a half-volley outside off.
20:15 (IST) KXIP: 20/0, Overs: 3.0
Kumar continues, and bowls a tight line, not giving the batsmen anyroom whatsoever. But he errs slightly on the last ball as he gives some room to Vijay outside off, which was enough for the Tamil Nadu batsman to drive it through extra cover for another boundary.
20:10 (IST) KXIP: 13/0, Overs: 2.0
Pradeep Sangwan to share the new ball. There is some swing for him as well as the first back moves back in towards Vijay. The third ball hits Vijay very high on the pads outside off stump. Sangwan appeals, but that wasn’t anywhere close to be given out.
Vijay finally decides to break the shackles by coming down the ground and launching Sangwan over long-on for the first six of the match. The bolwer overpitches on the next ball, and that was bread and butter for Vijay who carved out a magnificent drive through the covers for the first four of the match. This is a slow cautious start by the Kings XI.
20:00 (IST) KXIP: 3/0, Overs: 1.0
The match is underway now. Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra to open for Kings XI Punjab. Praveen Kumar to open the bowling for Gujarat Lions.
1st Over to be bowled by Kumar: Big inswing straight away in to Vohra, struck on the pads first ball. The ball was going down leg. He is swinging it both ways, as the third ball moves away from Manan Vohra. The Punjab openers see off an excellent over by Kumar.
19:50 (IST)
Kings XI Punjab Playing XI: Murali Vijay, Manan Vohra, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Glenn Maxwell, David Miller(c), Axar Patel, Marcus Stoinis, Pardeep Sahu, Mitchell Johnson, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma.
Gujarat Lions Playing XI: Aaron Finch, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Ishan Kishan, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, James Faulkner, Praveen Kumar, Pradeep Sangwan, Sarabjit Ladda.
TOSS: Gujarat Lions have won the toss and have elected to field first.
19:40 (IST)
Raina: "We have quality seamers up front and will look to take advantage of the green pitch. We have been practising really hard, and we will do well."
David MIller, captain KXIP: "I'm absolutely loving captaincy, having known the squad over the last two years. Unfortunately, there has been a bit of food poisioning going on and 4 - 5 boys have been down over the last few days. Shout out to Marsh who has been hospitalised. Marcus Stoinis is a great addition to the team, he can bat and bowl."
19:30 (IST)
As for the pitch, there's a fair bit of grass on it. Should definitely favour the seamers and there will be swing on display. The ball should carry well to the keepers arms. More seam and swing, after the first two IPL games. I'm sure Dale Steyn and Mitchell Johnson will be quite content looking at that pitch.
Big News: Shaun Marsh will not be playing today. He is out with food poisoning. This will test Punjab's depth in the overseas players department. Shaun Marsh was a shoe in after Bailey's departure.
19:15 (IST)
Suresh Raina, the newly appointed captain of Gujarat Lions, has advised his team to play with freedom. Well yes, the IPL has not got off to a start yet, two days, two games and both have meandered and have become one sided affairs. A close contest, a humdinger is what is needed now.
It should be a cracking contest in Mohali, and it might be the boost IPL needs after two one-sided affairs in the first two games. Gujarat can take heart from the performance of Rising Pune Supergiants, and they will start with a clean slate.
19:00 (IST)
Brad Hodge has been appointed coach for the Gujarat Lions. He was a critical member of the Adelaide Strikers in the recently concluded Big Bash League. He is now into a new territory, but will have plenty of assistance from the likes of Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Aaron Finch and skipper Suresh Raina.
The flamboyant Virender Sehwag will now whistle in the dugout as he is the mentor of the Kings XI, and if his playing ways are anything to go by expect a carefree Punjab team to take the field.
18:50 (IST)
Mohali offered good playing surfaces during the World T20 and had everything for everybody. Expect more of the same for this game. Dew might be a factor later in the evening, and it might dictate the toss.
The playing area is one of the bigger ones in the country and particularly the square boundaries. Both teams have brilliant fielders and the batsmen need to be careful. However, there will plenty of opportunities for twos and running between the wickets will be important.
Men with the spotlight on:
Kings XI Punjab: David Miller, Glenn Maxwell. Watch out for Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma.
Gujarat Lions: They have a battery of all-rounders and the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja and James Faulkner can be useful with both bat and ball. And then there is Pravin Tambe and the street smart Praveen Kumar.
18:40 (IST)
We have come up with a predicted XI for Kings XI Punjab: Kings XI Punjab IPL 2016: Predicted XI
Gujarat Lions are spoilt for choices. We were too, but then came up with this predicted XI: IPL 2016 Predicted XI Gujarat Lions
18:30 (IST)
For Kings XI, Shaun Marsh could not be a regular in the playing XI last season but he should walk into the team this time around. He has been with the franchise since its inception in 2008 and has been a regular threat.
And then there is the big show Glenn Maxwell who lit up IPL 2014, but was rather timid last season. He comes in with big reputation and his presence will be vital to the team's cause this season. He has also become a reliable off-break bowler and will be important in the pitches as the summers are well upon us.
18:20 (IST)
Gujarat Lions on the other hand are the new entrants into the league but then they have an array of match winners in their closet. Suresh Raina will lead the side and it might just be the impetus for him to start scoring runs after having had a forgettable Asia Cup and World T20.
The presence of domestic talent, especially from Uttar Pradesh has to do largely with the presence of Suresh Raina. They also have a number of match winners in their overseas contingent and they look a formidable team.
They have T20 specialists in the form of Brendon McCullum, Aaron Finch, Dwayne Bravo and James Faulkner. The presence of Dale Steyn is a threat anytime and he would love to mute all his doubters with the white ball in hand.
18:15 (IST)
Kings XI Punjab had a forgettable season last year, but they were clearly the team of the season in 2014. From reaching the finals to languishing somewhere at the bottom, they have seen it all in the two seasons.
David Miller has now been handed captaincy and few tweaks have been made into the squad, and they will look to start once again. Miller does not have the captaincy experience but he is well aware of the dynamics of the squad and the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
18:00 (IST)
Hello, and welcome to the live blog for the 3rd match of the Indian Premier League 2016 between Kings XI Punjab and Gujarat Lions to be held at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali.
The Lions, one of the two new franchises in the IPL 2016, apart from the Rising Pune Supergiants, would begin their maiden IPL campaign tonight under the leadership of Suresh Raina.
On the other, Kings XI Punjab have a new captain this year as well, in David Miller, who would also hold the key for them with the bat.
Follow the blog for the match preview and the live updates as the match progresses. The live scorecard and ball by commentary for the match can be followed here:
Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions: Live Cricket Score & Ball by Ball Commentary
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