A fabulous win for the Superkings

Kings XI innings ends spectacularly with a hat-trick by L. Balaji

A hat-trick in the final over by fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji helped the Chennai Super Kings to an 18 run victory over the Kings XI Punjab at a packed MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai
The Kings XI, chasing 182 for victory, could only muster 9 for 163 despite Australian Shaun Marsh's 58 off 38 balls.

Marsh was one of Balaji's five victims as the Indian hit back after copping some early punishment.

He removed the Western Australian and Ramnaresh Sarwan (20) in one over to turn the match in the Super Kings' favour.

He then claimed his hat-trick off the third, fourth and fifth ball of the last over to finish with five wickets for the match.

Balaji dismissed Pathan, Chawla and V.R.V. Singh for his hat-trick.

Earlier, a fourth-wicket partnership of 91 between Subramaniam Badrinath (64 off 47) and captain M S Dhoni (60 not out off 43) guided the Super Kings to a competitive score.

The win lifts Chennai to second place in the IPL points table with six wins from nine matches, while Punjab are third, two points behind but with a match in hand.

The scores:

Chennai Super Kings: S. Vidyut c Jayawardene b Sreesanth 8, S. Fleming c Goel b Sreesanth 1, S. Raina c S. Marsh b Chawla 26, S. Badrinath c Yuvraj b V.R.V. Singh 64, M.S. Dhoni (not out) 60, A. Morkel (not out) 7, Extras (lb-4, w-10, nb-1) 15. Total (for four in 20 overs) 181.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-20, 3-64, 4-155.

Kings XI Punjab bowling: Sreesanth 4-0-29-2, Pathan 4-0-33-0, V.R.V. Singh 4-0-35-1, Chawla 3-0-36-1, Hopes 4-0-36-0, Yuvraj 1-0-8-0.

Kings XI Punjab: S. Marsh c Amarnath b Balaji 58, J. Hopes c Dhoni b Morkel 14, K. Goel c Morkel b Gony 1, R. Sarwan b Balaji 20, Yuvraj Singh c Fleming b Amarnath 2, M. Jayawardene c Vidyut b Muralitharan 8, I. Pathan c Raina b Balaji 40, P. Chawla c Kapugedera b Balaji 17, V.R.V Singh c Dhoni b Balaji 0, U. Kaul (not out) 0, S. Sreesanth (not out) 0, Extras (lb-1, w-2) 3.Total (for nine in 20 overs) 163.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-29, 3-95, 4-96, 5-97, 6-115, 7-163, 8-163, 9-163.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Gony 4-0-38-1, Morkel 4-0-25-1, Amarnath 3-0-35-1, Kapugedera 1-0-8-0, Muralitharan 4-0-32-1, Balaji 4-0-24-5.