Chargers keep the momentum going

Deccan Chargers were simply awesome against Bangalore Royal Challengers as they registered a crucial 13-run win over Royal Challengers in an IPL match here Monday.

By (PTI)

Published: Tue 13 Apr 2010, 1:06 AM

Last updated: Mon 27 Nov 2023, 3:27 PM

Chasing a challenging total of 152, Bangalore were on the right track before a series of wickets completely derailed them. Bangalore were all out for 138 in 19.4 overs.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma (51) and Mohnish Mishra (41) put on crucial 82 runs for the fourth wicket as Deccan Chargers managed 151 for six.

Rohit and Mishra took the attack to the Bangalore bowlers to ressurect the Deccan innings with the vaulable partnership that came off just 10 overs after Dale Steyn (3/18) did the early damage with three quick wickets.

Steyn justified his captain Anil Kumble’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss with double strike in the opening over. The South African pacer sent packing both Deccan skipper Adam Gilchrist and T Suman for one-ball duck to mark a dream start for the Bangalore side.

Steyn first induced a thin edge from Gilchrist’s willow in the fourth ball of the innings which Robin Uthappa had no problems in garsping behind the stumps and then had Suman caught at the backward short-leg by Ross Taylor after the right-hander failed to negotiate a short delivery. Steyn again came to the party in his next over, going through Herschelle Gibbs’ (12) defence to register his third wicket of the day and see Deccan in a spot of bother at 14 for three.

But from there on Rohit and Mishra played sensibly and mixed caution with aggression to drag their side out of trouble.

Mishra was at his aggressive best as he hit Kumble, Virat Kohli and KP Appanna for a six each apart from the lone boundary off Jacques Kallis before his 30-ball stay at the crease was cut short by an unnecessary run out.

Rohit too did not lag behind as he struck seven boundaries during his 46-ball innings—three of which came of Kallis in the 12th over.

Rohit was also involved in a 30-ball 35-run fifth wicket stand with Andrew Symonds (19 off 20) before the former Australian all-rounder was stumped by Uthappa off Kumble.

But just when it was time to step up the accelerator Rohit departed, caught by Manish Pandey off Vinay Kumar after he went for a big shot in search of quick runs. Ryan Harris came up with a handy nine-ball 13-run unbeaten innings, while Bodapati Sumanth remained unconquered on six to help Deccan get past the 150 mark.