Deccan Chargers beat King XI, keep semi-final hopes alive

DHARMASALA - Defending champions Deccan Chargers raised their hopes of making the semi-final with a five-wicket win over cellar-dwellers Kings XI Punjab in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium here Friday.

Set a target of 175, Deccan Chargers made 178 for five with five balls to spare after Rohit Sharma made an unbeaten 68 and Tirumalasetti Suman struck 43 at the picturesque stadium nestled in the Himalayas.

With their fourth consecutive win, Deccan Chargers now have 14 points from 13 matches and are fourth in the table while Kings XI remained at the bottom with eight points from 13 matches.

It was another pathetic performance by the Kings XI Punjab bowlers despite a good job done by the batsmen. Riding on Mahela Jayawardene’s unbeaten 62-ball 93 and skipper Kumar Sangakkara’s 52, Kings XI made 174 for three in 20 overs, after they were asked to bat by Adam Gilchrist.

Their bowlers failed to capitalise on the good start and bowled wayward making it easy for the Deccan Chargers batting. Irfan Pathan gave the Kings XI a great start by getting rid of the dangerous Gilchrist (9) in the second over.

But Sharma led the charge with the brilliant innings to take Deccan Chargers on the threshold of a semi-final berth. Sharma and Suman added 66-run for the third wicket to disappoint Kings XI.

Suman and Andrew Symonds (9) departed in quick successions as Deccan Chargers slipped from 120 for two to 126 for four. But Sharma kept his cool and proved that selectors have done the right job by picking him up in the squad for the World Twenty20.