Yuvraj Singh in action, on Sunday

Mumbai: IPL debutant Pune Warriors India made a strong statement, and so did their skipper Yuvraj Singh, by winning their opening match, at the DY Patil Stadium, in Navi Mumbai, on Sunday.

Pune Warriors defeated Kings XI Punjab, at home, by seven wickets. The victory also ensured Yuvraj exacted revenge against Punjab, his former side that had dethroned him as skipper for Kumar Sangakkara.

Pune dished out a clinical all-round display. They first restricted Kings XI to 112 for eight, after having left the visitors tottering at 45 for six, and then chased the target with a degree of comfort on a bouncy wicket. The run-chase was put on course by a 60-run second-wicket stand between Jesse Ryder (31 off 17 balls) and Mithun Manhas (35 in 32 balls) after a first-ball dismissal of Graeme Smith.

Robin Uthappa (22 not out in 14 balls) and Yuvraj (21 not out in 15 balls), there on, put on an unbroken stand of 45 runs for the fourth wicket to complete the job in style.

Earlier, a double strike each by Pune’s opening bowlers, Alfonso Thomas and Shrikant Wagh, left Punjab staggering at nine for four within the first four overs.

Thomas and Wagh packed off the top four batters, including former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, cheaply. Only a late charge by another South African, Ryan McLaren who made a half century, propelled Punjab past the century mark.

All-rounder McLaren made an unbeaten 51 in 43 balls with six fours and a six after coming in at number seven, besides putting on 35 runs in 52 balls with fellow left-hander Piyush Chawla (15), who was the second-highest scorer.

For Pune, 22-year-old Vidarbha left arm seamer Wagh finished with impressive figures of three for 16 while 34-year-old Cape Town-born Thomas picked up two for 27.

Pune started the run-chase on a dismal note by losing opener Smith in the first ball. The South African captain drove Praveen Kumar’s first ball straight into the hands of short cover fielder McLaren.

Warriors captain Yuvraj Singh lauded his bowlers for setting the platform for the comprehensive victory. “Nice to get a first win. Our bowlers picked up early wickets and set the momentum. It was a good toss to lose and we bowled wicket-to-wicket according to our plan. Happy that we got the results,” Yuvraj said after the match. “First two years when I was captain of Kings, I took too much pressure and got distracted on the field,” he added.

Yuvraj also praised Mithun Manhas who scored a 32-ball 35 in Pune s run chase. (PTI)