Mohali: Dinesh Karthik (35 not out, 23b, 2x4, 1x6) played a vital knock as Gujarat Lions edged past Kings XI Punjab by six wickets in a mid-table clash of the IPL-10 here on Sunday night.
Chasing 190, it had all appeared swift and easy for Gujarat till the 17th over before a flurry of wickets in the 18th — Sandeep Sharma (2/29) took out Suresh Raina (39) and Aaron Finch (2) in a span of four deliveries — had the visitors in some trouble. Needing 24 from last two overs, Karthik eased out the pressure picking up a six and a four off Varun Aaron in the 19th over, to ensure Gujarat coast home in 19.4 overs.
Punjab had put up a formidable 189/3 after Hashim Amla notched up his second hundred this season, but Gujarat were on the job right from the word go. Openers Dwayne Smith (74, 3b, 8x4, 4x6) and Ishan Kishan (29, 24b, 3x4) laid a solid platform — the duo scored at almost 10 an over to raise 91 runs in 9.3 overs — to set up the chase at the PCA Stadium while the rest followed the script.
