KKR move to the top with win over Deccan Chargers

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Deccan Chargers by 20 runs in their Indian Premier League match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Tuesday.

A Yusuf Pathan (47) onslaught in the death overs and an impressive bowling display helped Kolkata Knight Riders post a comfortable 20-run victory over Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League here Tuesday to move to the top of the table. Pathan’s 80-run stand with Manoj Tiwary (33 off 28 balls) took the Knight Riders to 169 for four and then the bowlers did their job by restricting the Chargers to 149 for six at the nearly-packed Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

The away win has put the Knight Riders on the top of the table with 12 points from nine games. Chargers, who have managed only one win at home in the three IPL editions played in India, are at seventh place with six points from nine matches.

Just when it looked like that Chargers were well on their way to a successful chase, left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah swung the match the visitors’ way. From 38 for no loss at the end of five overs, Abdullah (2-34) made it 41 for two by picking up Sunny Sohal (26 off 20) and captain Kumar Sangakaara (0), the two in-form batsman of the Chargers.

Sohal was caught at cover while the big fish Sangakkara spooned a simple catch to the mid-wicket fielder two balls later.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (54 off 45) finally came good with the bat and stitched a 56-run partnership with Ravi Teja (30) but after the latter got out, the home team never looked like overcoming the big total.

Earlier, the Knight Riders cut loose in the last seven overs to post a tough total.

The Chargers had things under control until the 12^th over with the score at 84 for three and in-form Gambhir (35 off 22) back in the hut. But that was when another in-form batsman, Tiwary, got together with the destructive Pathan and changed the complexion of the game.

They meted out the same treatment to the quicks and the spinners and took the game away from the opposition. Pathan’s 26-ball innings included two towering sixes over mid-wicket while Tiwary struck three fours and a six.

The Knight Riders smashed 59 off the last five overs and paved the way for their third consecutive win.