MUMBAI, May 2: Sachin Tendulkar and Ambati Rayudu hit impressive half-centuries to set up Mumbai Indians’ 23-run win over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League match on Monday.

Skipper Tendulkar and Rayudu each made 51 as Mumbai scored 159-5 before stopping Punjab at 136-8 for their sixth victory in eight matches of the Twenty20 tournament.

Mumbai now lead the 10-team league table with 12 points.

Australian Shaun Marsh top-scored with a 47-ball 61 for Punjab, who suffered their fourth defeat in seven games. He put on 72 for the second wicket with Paul Valthaty, who contributed a 38-ball 33.

Pacemen Lasith Malinga and Munaf Patel, and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh bagged two wickets apiece for Mumbai. Tendulkar and Rayudu earlier propped up the innings after Mumbai had lost South African Davy Jacobs (10) in the third over, adding 95 for the second wicket.

Rayudu, who hit seamer Praveen Kumar for two fours and a six in the same over, was the first to reach half-century with a boundary off leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

He fell in the same over while attempting another big shot, caught superbly by Dinesh Karthik at deep mid-wicket after hitting one six and eight fours in his 37-ball knock.

Tendulkar, who hit left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt over deep square-leg for the first six of the innings, also fell soon after completing his half-century.

He cracked one six and three fours in his 45-ball knock.

West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard smashed two sixes in his 11-ball 20 and Rohit Sharma hit a brisk 18 to help Mumbai cross the 150-mark.

Australian paceman Ryan Harris and Chawla each bagged two wickets.

In another match played on Sunday, Suresh Raina smashed a 35-ball 59 and South African paceman Albie Morkel grabbed three wickets to help Chennai Super Kings post a 19-run victory over Deccan Chargers at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Deccan were 90-1 following an explosive 56 from opener Sunny Sohal before finishing at 146-8 chasing a 166-run target. He hit four sixes and six fours in his 30-ball knock.

Raina added 60 for the second wicket with Australian Michael Hussey (46) and 58 for the next with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (21) before Morkel (19) hit three successive sixes off paceman Ishant Sharma in the closing stages.

Results:

Mumbai Indians beat Kings XI Punjab by 23 runs.

Mumbai Indians 159-5 in 20 overs (S.R. Tendulkar 51, A. Rayudu 51, K.A. Pollard 20; R.J. Harris 2-33, P. Chawla 2-37); Kings XI Punjab 136-8 in 20 overs (S.E. Marsh 61, P. Valthaty 33; M.M. Patel 2-18, S.L. Malinga 2-19, Harbhajan Singh 2-25). Chennai Super Kings beat Deccan Chargers by 19 runs.

Chennai Super Kings 165-5 in 20 overs (S.K. Raina 59, M.E.K. Hussey 46, M.S. Dhoni 21; P.P. Ojha 2-26); Deccan Chargers 146-8 in 20 overs (S. Sohal 56; J.A. Morkel 3-38, S.B. Jakati 2-23. D.E. Bollinger 2-26).—AFP