Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene cracked an unconquered 59-ball 110 to lead Kings XI Punjab to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Sunday.
Jayawardene, who returned to the team in place of an injured Shaun Marsh, hit 14 boundaries and three sixes and capitalised on one ‘life’ to script a 98-run second wicket stand with skipper Kumara Sangakkara (38) to set the stage for the bottom placed side’s second victory in the tournament after four consecutive defeats.
Replying to the Knight Riders’ challenging total of 200 for three, the visitors cantered to 204 for two with ten balls to spare, as Yuvraj Singh played a cameo (33 not out of 16 balls; 2×4, 3×6) towards the end to hasten the hosts’ fifth defeat in nine games.
Jayawardene then completed the game in style, picking up two consecutive fours off medium pacer Jaidev Unadkat to disappoint a packed Eden Gardens crowd.
Jayawardene became the second Sri Lankan after Sanath Jayasurya to get a Twenty20 hundred, and third batsman in this edition of the IPL, when he took a couple of Shane Bond to reach the three-figure mark off 56 balls.
Murali Kartik must be cursing himself for having dropped the Sri Lankan when he was on 51. Jayawardene tried to steer compatriot Angelo Mathews and virtually spooned it to Kartik, who failed to hold on to the offering.
