CRICKET WORLD

The Mumbai Indians turned in a strong all-round show to defeat Kings XI Punjab by four wickets in the Indian Premier League at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Shaun Marsh announced his return with a fluent 53 at the top of the visitors' order, the only bright spot in another dismal batting card as the Kings XI were bowled out for 163.

Lasith Malinga (four for 22) and Zaheer Khan (three for 34) shared seven wickets.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan then made 50 and Saurabh Tiwary chipped in with a valuable 31 under pressure as the Indians secured victory in the final over, their sixth win in seven matches.

The Kings XI, invited to bat first, lost opener Ravi Bopara early, but recovered fairly well only to lose steam at the finish.

Bopara was trapped in front by Zaheer Khan in the second over and number three batsman Manvinder Bisla followed in the fifth as the Kings XI stuttered at the start.

At 40 for two, the visitors showed familiar signs of disintegration, but Marsh, who had replaced Kumar Sangakkara in the side, cobbled together a partnership with stand-in captain Mahela Jayawardene which lifted the visitors to a promising 85 for two at the half-way mark.

Marsh, playing his first game of the tournament, had displayed all the qualities which had made him a standout performer in the first edition as he closed in steadily on a half-century, while Jayawardene also batted sensibly.

That was until he was run out for 20, attempting a second run following a Malinga mis-field in the deep and the Kings XI began to slide again.

Malinga returned to nip a blossoming partnership between Marsh - who by then had reached his sixth IPL 50 - and Irfan Pathan by removing both batsmen off successive deliveries.

Wickets fell in a heap at the end and only a cameo from Piyush Chawla at the death saw them past the 160-run mark.

Dhawan replied with a steady half-century at the top of the order, providing momentum even as Sachin Tendulkar and Kieron Pollard went cheaply.

The Kings XI, with Bopara turning his arm over with deadly precision, then bowled themselves back into the game as Dhawan fell just after reaching his half-century - Bopara's first victim.

His dismissal was followed by those of Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo - the latter spectacularly caught and bowled by Bopara.

Saurabh smashed a four and two sixes, but his dismissal in the penultimate over - an expensive one from Bopara - left the Indians needing six from the last over.

Rajagopal Sathish (17 not out) easily saw the Indians over the line.