It feels that KKR have mastered the art of snatching defeats from the jaws of victories. They again proved this against Deccan Chargers when they lost the opportunity of winning the match with a very poor bowling performance.

Deccan Chargers needed 21 runs from last over bowled by Bangladeshi Mashrafe Mortaza, and Rohit Sharma played a scarcely believable hand. Rohit Sharma hit two 6s and two 4s to hand the KKR an unlikely defeat. Confusion reigned off the first ball of the last over as the square-leg umpire declared a no-ball as insufficient fielders were in the circle. This was hit for 4. Just 2 of the next two balls and the Chargers needed 14 from 4 balls.

Earlier, put into bat, Australian duo of Brad Hodge and David Hussey came to the rescue of KKR as they helped their team post a competitive 160 for 5 in allotted overs.

Hodge, by far the best batsmen for the struggling KKR so far, again scored a quick fire 48 off 41 deliveries to build a solid foundation for his Australian team mates Hussey to launch a scathing attack on the Deccan bowlers.

It’s due to Hussey’s knock of 43 off 17 balls which helped KKR cross the 150-mark which was looking a distant dream at one stage. David Hussey’s blistering knock contained 4 big sixes. Though Ganguly played a good knock of 33 off 41, it was a too slow for a T-20 match.

Rohit Sharma played a brilliant innings of 32 off just 13 balls that ultimately sealed the match in Deccan’s favour. That he is a perfect player of T-20 cricket was again evident when he single-handedly turned the match in his team’s favour.

Before Rohit, T. Suman played yet another fine innings of 24-ball 31 to keep the Deccan in hunt in the mid-overs of the match. Suman, in company of Andrew Symonds (18) took Deccan close to victory. But both the batsmen got out in quick succession leaving the finishing task to Rohit Sharma who played a sensational inning.

Chasing 161 to win, Deccan Chargers’ opening pair of Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs gave their team a flying start as they reached 40 from just 4 overs. Gilchrist was more aggressive of the two slamming flurry of boundaries from the beginning.

After playing a brilliant knock of 43, Deccan captain Adam Gilchrist departed giving Brad Hodge his first wicket of the match. Gilchrist tried to whack one over mid-wicket where Laxmi Ratan Shukla took a fine catch to cut short his 31-ball innings, consisted of 5 fours and 2 sixes.

Gibbs also played well for his 28 that helped them to build a solid foundation. The chances of KKR of further progress in IPL Season 2 buried long ago, but in this match Deccan Chargers needed to win to keep their hopes afloat for a semi-final berth. And they did.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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