For Deccan Chargers it was a familiar script at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. With a pathetic batting display against a not-so menacing but accurate bowling attack, the home team suffered a 25-run defeat against Kings XI Punjab in the fifth edition of Indian Premier League here on Tuesday night. And, for the crowd, which turned up in good numbers, it was a huge disappointment too as it was an all-round failure once again from DC, still in search of its second win in IPL so far at this venue. Even the body language said it all.
Only opener Daniel Harris showed some urgency during his brief stay. Clearly, the double-blow from captain David Hussey in his first and the innings' 11th over, when he sent back Harris with his first ball and then saw the big-hitting Cameron White hole out straight to the fielder in the deep turned out to be decisive.
And, soon Praveen Kumar saw Chargers captain Kumar Sangakkara failing to resist the temptation to play a stroke on the off-stump only to see wicketkeeper Nitin Saini take a splendid catch to reduce Chargers to 74 for five in 11.2 overs. Earlier, Kings XI Punjab, thanks to openers Mandeep Singh and Shaun Marsh, finished at 170 for five.
Against a Deccan Chargers bowling attack minus the injured speedster Dale Steyn, the expected fireworks from the batsmen were missing. Though most of them started off well including captain David Hussey, who hit leg-spinner Amit Mishra's first ball for a six over mid-off, never really took advantage of a perfect batting track.
But for 20-year-old Mandeep Singh whose fluent knock was dotted with some clean, big hits and delectable strokes too on either side of the wicket, the others failed to get going. Mandeep picked medium-pacer Veer Pratap Singh for special treatment from the word go — pulling him to the fence and then slashing over point for a six in his first over. The innings clearly lost the desired momentum once medium-pacer Ashish Reddy sent back the well-set Mandeep Singh and the last five overs produced just 41 runs. And, it could have been worse but for southpaw David Miller's final flourish.
Scoreboard
Kings XI Punjab: M. Singh b Ashish Reddy 75 (48b, 8x4, 3x6), S. Marsh b S. Dhawan 22 (20b, 3x4), N. Saini lbw b Ashish Reddy 2 (4b), D. Hussey c Harris b V.P. Singh 16 (16b, 1x4, 1x6), A. Mahmood (run out) 14 (9b, 2x4), D. Miller (not out) 28 (18b, 3x4, 1x6), S. Chitnis (not out) 6 (5b), Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-5): 7; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 170.
Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Marsh), 2-58 (Saini), 3-97 (Harris), 4-130 (Mandeep), 5-138 (Azhar). Deccan Chargers bowling: Jhunjhunwala 2-0-12-0, V.P. Singh 4-0-45-1, Theron 4-0-29-0, Dhawan 2-0-8-1, Ashish 4-0-39-2, Mishra 2-0-20-0, Harris 2-0-15-0.
Deccan Chargers: D. Harris c Awana b Hussey 30 (29b, 2x4, 1x6), S. Dhawan c Azhar b Praveen 8 (6b, 1x4), P. Patel b Awana 17 (13b, 1x4, 1x6), C. White c Marsh b Hussey 8 (14b, 1x4), K. Sangakkara c Saini b Praveen 4 (6b), Akshath Reddy st. Saini b Chawla 24 (13b, 2x4, 1x6), A. Jhunjhunwala (run out) 19 (20b, 1x6), Ashish Reddy c Marsh b Awana 8 (8b, 1x4), J. Theron (not out) 7 (6b, 1x4), A. Mishra (not out) 8 (5b, 1x4); Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-7): 12; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 145.
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Dhawan), 2-31 (Parthiv), 3-70 (Harris), 4-71 (White), 5-74 (Sangakkara), 6-117 (Akshath), 7-121 (Jhunjhunwala), 8-130 (Ashish). Kings XI Punjab bowling: Powar 3-0-32-0, Praveen 4-0-15-2, Chawla 4-0-33-1, Awana 4-0-27-2, Mahmood 4-0-31-0, Hussey 1-0-2-2.
