‘Amazing’ Sharma the hero
Deccan Chargers climbed one place to third in the Indian Premier
League table after a thrilling six-wicket win over struggling Kolkata
Knight Riders at Wanderers Saturday.
Kolkata made 160-5 after they lost the toss and were sent in to bat
and Deccan reached 166-4 off the last ball of their 20 overs, handing
bottom team Kolkata their 10th loss of the tournament.
Deccan captain Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs combined in a
68-run opening partnership as the Chargers took another step closer to
the semi-finals.
Gilchrist thumped Mashrafe Mortaza for successive sixes in the second
over and eventually got a top edge to deep square leg trying to sweep
Brad Hodge.
But his 43 off 31 deliveries got Deccan off to a speedy start in
their run chase.
Gibbs was the next to go, contributing 28 off 34, and Tirumalsetti
Suman followed with 31 from 24.
Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds added a cameo 18 off 13 balls,
and Rohit Sharma, who hit an unbeaten 32 from 13 balls and smashed
Mortaza for six off the last ball to win the game, guided them home.
“Rohit played some great innings last year and to see him stand up
like this was amazing,” Gilchrist said. “We’re back here tomorrow and
hopefully we’ll be fresh for that match.”
Earlier, Kolkata opening batsman Sourav Ganguly had shared 55 runs
with Brad Hodge for the second wicket.
Ganguly made 33 off 41 balls before being removed by Ishant Sharma in
the 15th over and Hodge was dismissed three overs later after
contributing 48 from 41 deliveries.
JOHANNESBURG, Sunday, AFP
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