CLT20 2014: Kings XI Punjab vs Hobart Hurricanes - Heroes of the match

The IPL runners up King XI Punjab took on Hobart Hurricanes from Australia in the 2nd match of the Champions League T20 2014 at Mohali. Winning the toss, KXIP chose to bowl first and restricted Hobart to 144.Chasing a manageable 145 for victory, KXIP reached home in the 18th over with 5 wickets remaining. Thisara Perara was adjudged the Man of the Match.

#5 Travis Birt

Travis Birt of Hobart Hurricanes smashed 28 off 21 balls to salvage his team from a precarious position of 78/4. He together with Jonathan Wells added 52 from just 5.1 overs at a phenomenal run rate of 10.06. His innings that was brought to an end by Awana included 2 sixes - one massive hit over the sight screen and another one over long on.

#4 Jonathan Wells

The Hurricanes batsman helped his team’s innings with a well compiled 28 off 18 balls to resurrect the Australian team’s innings. He added 52 for the fifth partnership along with Travis Birt. His innings included 5 fours at a healthy strike rate of 155.55.

#3 Glenn Maxwell

As expected the Australian aggressor came to the party and bludgeoned the Hobart bowlers to all parts of the ground. Victory was always beyond the reach of the Australian franchise despite having picked up 4 wickets, as the KXIP star batsman kept smashing balls to every nook and corner of the ground.

He took only 24 balls to get his 43 runs which included 2 big hits and 4 fours - one which was reverse swept. Maxwell probably played the shot of the day, lofting Boyce effortlessly over extra cover for a silky six.

#2 George Bailey

The former Australian T20 captain, dropped anchor and guided the power packed KXIP batting line up towards the target of 145. Bailey who was playing second fiddle to Maxwell, took charge once he got out and played an innings of silk laced with stone. Bailey’s unbeaten 34 included 5 fours, with two of them coming in the last over. The captain’s knock made sure that the Punjabi innings remained intact without collapsing.

#1 Thisara Perera

The Iron Man from Sri Lanka, who was recently approached by New Zealand, contributed with both bat and ball as he once again proved his supremacy in the shortest version of the game. Perera, making his debut, with his brisk fast medium bowling bowled three parsimonious overs, but most importantly picked up two wickets that hurt the Hurricanes’ innings.

Perera who was on song in the recently concluded series against Pakistan for Sri Lanka found his rhythm that has been missing in his bowling, which will be bad news for the opposition. With the bat, the Sri Lankan entered the crease when the match was evenly poised. He soon took the game on his own terms hitting a six and 4 fours. His 35 came off just 20 balls as the Kings from Punjab romped home with 5 wickets in hand and 14 balls to spare. His all round performance earned him the Man of the Match award.