Smith, Tiwary guide Pune to fifth win of season

Steven Smith and Manoj Tiwary ensured that Pune sealed their position at fourth place in the points table with a commanding 50-run stand, for the third wicket, which helped their side comfortably beat a Bangalore unit, by a massive 61-run margin, in the Indian Twenty20 competition at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Saturday.

The hosts were put in to bat by Virat Kohli and the openers, Ajinkya Rahane in particular, found it difficult to score runs freely on a dry surface. His partner, Rahul Tripathi, played aggressor and thumped four fours and a six in the first six overs of the match. Bangalore added to their own woes when Kohli dropped Tripathi when he was just 11. Pune collected 43 runs in the Powerplay, but only 26 in the next five overs, hitting only one four. Tripathi's departure in the ninth over brought Smith and Tiwary together and the duo lifted the run rate with aggression.

Smith smacked Samuel Badree for 6, 4, 4 in the 12th over, before Tiwary swatted Yuzvendra Chahal for a six in the next. Smith smacked two more boundaries in the 14th over before he departed for a 32-ball 45, which included five fours and a six. Tiwary remained unbeaten on a 35-ball 44 and, alongside MS Dhoni, helped Pune post a respectable 157. Smith and Tiwary scored at 9.09 runs an over in the 5.3 overs they batted together.