Mohali: Bangalore despite making logical moves and showing purpose against Mohali in their innings were restricted to 143-8 in game 34 of the Indian Premier League here on Monday.
Mohali bowlers were at their measerly best as the visitors failed to get any momentum going for a sizeable passage.
Regular wickets pegged them back and despite cameos by Misbah-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli and some solid rearguard action by skipper Rahul Dravid and Mark Boucher, the beleaguered Bangalore team never had control over the proceedings in the middle. Just when Dravid's men looked to force the issue, Mohali struck with a wicket and Bangalore were left to stem the rot.
Like most of their previous games, Bangalore showed momentary sparks but it never came together for them. Kohli and Misbah flowed for a while, Boucher and Dravid showed grit but it was not enough.
After electing to bat, they lost J Arun Kumar as early as the third over with four runs on the board. Desperate for a win to stay alive in the competetion, Bangalore threw in Misbah-ul-Haq early at the opposition, hoping the Pakistan batsman may repeat his T20 World Championships heroics might script a turnaround for them.
And Misbah looked determined to pound the Mohali bowling all around the park Along with the young Virat kohli, Misbah put on 32 runs in just 16 balls, perhaps the brightest part for Bangalore in the 20 overs.
The 33-year old, replacing the out of form Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the eleven, started belting Mohali as soon as stepped out. The Pakistan star batsman smashed three boundaries and one six in no time before he went on the back-foot to Sreesanth a tad too much to dislodge the bails with his right leg.
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