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DECCAN CHARGERS BT KINGS XI PB

Kings XI Punjab won the toss and put Deccan Chargers in to bat. Deccan Chargers scored 170 for 7 in the allotted 20 overs in the IPL-3 match played at the Sabarmati Stadium Cuttack, on Friday. Symonds 53, Gilchrist 33, Gibbs 23 and Suman 26 were the main contributors  and this score was barely sufficient in the end to beat Kings XI Punjab by six runs. Kings XI Punjab had almost clinched the match because of the heroics of Irfan Pathan who unfortunately got out in the last over.

When Deccan Chargers were batting, they found lots of problems against the spin attack of Kings XI Punjab but were felt  totally at home against the pace of the likes of Sresaanth and after considerable struggle they managed to reach a competitive score of 170 runs in the first IPL game to be held in Cuttack.

However, Sreesanth obliged whenever Deccan needed quick runs. It is not understood as to why  a pace bowler who has got two slip fielders in place, did  not always keep the ball on the middle and off stump? He gifted 23 runs in the second over with Adam Gilchrist plundering two fours and two sixes because of his wayward line and length. A huge six hit on the up to straight boundary was the highlight of the evening.

Although Deccan Chargers lost VVS Laxman (10 runs) early, as he was forced to retire hurt after being hit on his wrist by a throw from  Srivastava, Gilchrist’s effort allowed them to reach 84 for 1 in nine overs. This is where Sreesanth entered the frame to give his second offering to Deccan. This time around he ‘donated’ 16 runs, with Symonds hitting a typically huge six over long-on, and two fours.

However, Symonds’ played the spinners with relative caution, often checking his drives, and making sure he didn’t throw his wicket away and was cautious throughout.

At this point things could have gone horribly wrong for Punjab, but Yuvraj Singh stemmed the flow of runs with a tidy spell which fetched him 2 wickets for 21 runs.  In the 11th over, he got the wicket of Gibbs. Bipul Sharma and Piyush Chawla slipped in couple of relatively quiet overs and when Yuvraj induced Symonds to hole out to long-on, Deccan had reached 144 for 5 in 17 overs.

If Gilchrist’s was an adrenalin-charged innings, Irfan Pathan’s knock was no less and was perhaps his best batting performance in the IPL-3 so far.

The match was moving towards a totally dull one-sided affair but for the splendid innings of Irfan Pathan who tried to pull off the improbable, with a wonderful innings punctuated with 3 fours and five sixes.

Eventually Deccan Chargers prevailed and sealed their first win against Kings XI Punjab in IPL history. Irfan Pathan was out on the first ball of the 20th over caught by Symonds bowled by Jaskaran for 60 runs. Actually Punjab had lost the match in that moment itself.

Kings XI Punjab scored 164 runs for 8 wickets (Irfan 60) and Deccan Chargers won the match by 6 runs.

The award for the maximum sixes was given to Irfan Pathan.

The Karbonn Kamaal Catch award was bagged by Bipul Sharma.

The Man of the Match award was won by Andrew Symonds.