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A superb all-round show by Andrew Symonds helped Deccan Chargers beat Kings XI Punjab by six runs in the Indian Premier League match at the Barabati stadium, in Cuttack, on Friday.
Symonds hit a brisk half-century as Deccan Chargers posted 170 for seven in their 20 overs after they were put into bat. The burly Australian hit three boundaries and three sixes as he smashed 53 from 38 balls and then took one for 22 in four overs to restrict Punjab to 164 in their 20 overs.
This is Deccan's first victory at thier home venue and their first over Punjab, who are still to register a victory in this year's tournament.
Irfan Pathan waged a lone battle for Punjab as he slammed a quickfire 60 from 29 balls, inclusive of three boundaries and five sixes, to rally the team after they were struggling at 68 for six in the 12th over but was unable to find the winning runs.
Adam Gilchrist had given Deccan a blazing start, smashing 33 from just 12 balls, inclusive of four boundaries and two sixes, while Chaminda Vaas continued his good bowling form in the tournament, claiming two for 27 in four overs.
Deccan Chargers:
After a quiet first over from Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth was taken to the cleaners by Gilchrist, who hit him for 24 runs, in the second.
Gilchrist hit the third ball of the over for a boundary through midwicket and followed it up with a huge straight six. Sreesanth attempted to surprise him with a bouncer but the former Aussie batsman had no problems in despatching it over midwicket for another six , and ended the over by crashing a boundary through covers. Left-armer Shalabh Srivastava also came under the hammer as Gilchrist pulled him for back-to-back boundaries through midwicket. But Srivastava got his revenge with the big wicket of Gilchrist, who was out after a quickfire 33 from 12 balls, inclusive of four boundaries and two sixes. The champions suffered another big blow when Laxman (10) had to retire hurt after being struck on the right arm by Srivastava's wild throw from mid-off as he went for a quick single in the fourth over. Andrew Symonds got going with a streaky boundary, as his inside edge went past the stumps for a boundary through fine leg against Srivastava, in the fifth over. Sreesanth, who was smashed for 24 runs in his first over, continued to have a nightmare as Symonds also took him to the cleaners. The Australian all-rounder sent a slower delivery over long-on for a six, and followed it up with two successive boundaries through fine leg to take Deccan Chargers to 100 for one after ten overs. But Punjab pegged Deccan back with a sterling fightback that saw them claim three wickets in the space of two overs. Gibbs, who scored 23 from as many deliveries, tried to heave Yuvraj Singh through midwicket but missed and was bowled. Three deliveries later, Rohit Sharma went for a quick single but Mahela Jayawardene at point region caught him short at the bowler's end with a direct hit. Bipul Sharma gave his team a further boost, having Anirudh Singh caught behind for a duck as Deccan were reduced to 113 for four after 12 overs. T Suman (2) got an early lifeline when Sangakkara missed an easy stumping in Yuvraj's second over. Symonds completed his half-century from 34 deliveries with two runs on the leg side off Chawla, in the 16th over. However, he went into a shell in the last few overs and it was Suman who took over the mantle, slamming Chawla over point for a boundary and then pulling Yuvraj for a six over midwicket. Yuvraj then provided Punjab the big wicket of Symonds, for 53. The Australian, who hit three boundaries and three sixes in his 38-ball knock, lobbed one towards long-on, where he was neatly held by Bipul. Chaminda Vaas hit a quick 16 from 10 balls before becoming Irfan Pathan's first victim. Pathan had figures of one for 16 in three overs. Suman was run-out in the final over after a quick knock of 26 from 22 balls when wicketkeeper Sangakkara threw down the stumps. Jaskaran Singh was run-out to the final delivery for 1 as Deccan Chargers finished with 169 for eight in their 20 overs. Yuvraj underlined his utility with the ball, taking two for 21 in four overs, while Pathan claimed one for 16 in three. Kings XI Punjab:
Ravi Bopara got the innings off in some style, driving a full delivery from Vaas through the covers for a boundary. The second ball also fetched the same result, but this time Bopara was lucky that his inside edge just missed the stumps and flew wide of wicketkeeper Gilchrist.
Manvinder Bisla was run-out for a seven-ball duck as he attempted a quick single; Suman's direct hit from point caught him short. In the same over, Vaas got the better of Punjab captain Kumar Sangakkara, bowling him through the gate for a duck.
Yuvraj got off the mark in style when he flicked Vaas over midwicket but it was the Sri Lankan pacer who had the last laugh. The left-hander tried another big shot but failed to connect and lobbed a simple high catch to the cover fielder. He was dismissed for four as Punjab were reduced to 22 for three after five overs.
Mahela Jayawardene looked to accelerate the scoring rate as he hit three boundaries to race to 14. However, to Punjab's dismay, he was bowled by Symonds as he attempted to sweep a full straight delivery but missed it completely.
Debutant Adrian Barath could only score seven before hitting Pragyan Ojha straight into the palms of Rohit Sharma at long-on.
Bopara fell in the next over, caught by Symonds at midwicket off Sharma after a brisk 38 from 32 balls as Punjab were reduced to 68 for six after 12 overs.
Irfan Pathan showed his prowess with the bat with sixes in successive overs as Punjab reached 98 for six after 15 overs.
But there was no stopping the fall of wickets. Piyush Chawla pulled a short delivery from RP Singh and was caught by Ojha at short fine leg for nine.
Pathan though kept attacking and gave his fans something to cheer about. He flicked Singh twice over the midwicket fence for back-to-back sixes, the ball going out of the stadium off the first hit.
The left-hander also smashed another two boundaries for 21 runs in that over to take the total to 125 for seven in 17 overs, and Punjab needing 46 from the last three overs.
Ojha went for 13 in the next over as Punjab amassed 34 runs from their last two overs and needed another 33 runs from the remaining two overs for victory.
Pathan brought up his half-century from just 25 deliveries as he cracked a full delivery from Singh through the covers, having hit three boundaries and four sixes.
The very next delivery, Pathan lofted one over the sightscreen for his fifth six to bring the equation down to 22 needed from eight deliveries.
With 19 needed from the last over, Deccan brought in Jaskaran Singh to bowl his first over of the match. The young pacer struck with his very first delivery, claiming the big wicket of Pathan, who was caught on the midwicket fence after a cracking knock of 60 from 29 balls, during which he hit three boundaries and five sixes.
S Sreesanth hit three boundaries but Punjab finished on 164 for eight in their 20 overs and lost by six runs.
This was Deccan's first home victory. They chose Cuttack as their home venue after matches were shifted out of Hyderabad. This is also Deccan's first win over Kings XI Punjab in five attempts.
Punjab have a lot of catching up to after having lost all the three matches they have played this year's tournament.