Smith punishes sloppy Kings XI

Before today, Dwayne Smith had managed only 103 runs in nine innings this season, including six single-digit scores in his last six innings. An injury-hit roster meant Gujarat Lions had to persist with him. On Sunday night in Mohali, Smith, aided by slipshod fielding, hit form and created a cavity in Kings XI Punjab's playoff chances.

Smith followed his usual template: clear the front leg and hit the ball hard. He broke the back of the 190 chase by smashing 43 of Lions' 58 in the Powerplay. He pressed onto bring up his first fifty off the season, off 28 balls, with a straight six off left-arm spinner Axar Patel. He was dropped on 42 and 51 either side of that six, but Smith wasn't in a charitable mood. He continued to pepper the 'V' with violent short-arm jabs and lofts. When Smith finally holed out for 74 off 39 balls, Lions needed only 70 off 52 balls.

A late wobble might have given Kings XI hope, but Smith's blitz at the top ensured Lions were always ahead in the steep chase.

Before today, Sandeep Sharma had dismissed Smith twice while conceding only 14 off 13 balls. Sandeep found swing with the new ball on Sunday but Smith found a way to counter it. When Sandeep bowled a full ball on middle, which moved away, Smith stayed leg side of the ball and crisply drove it inside out over mid-off. Four balls later, Smith went inside out again, this time over extra cover

Stats that matter

• Smith scored 44 of his 74 runs down the ground, including four sixes
• This was his first IPL fifty in 11 innings

"I think my natural game is like that, it was just about staying out there as long as possible, and if I do that we'll stay in front of the run rate."
Dwayne Smith

"#DwayneSmith ,destructor doctor.Great innings today resulting in a great win."
Mohammad Kaif, Gujarat Lions assistant coach, on Twitter