The experienced hands of Kumar Sangakkara and Cameron White gave Deccan Chargers an imposing score of 186 to defend with some power hitting in the last eight overs against Pune Warriors. Kumar Sangakkara and Cameron White stitched 157 runs stand to set a stiff target of 187 for Pune Warriors. The first ten overs was a slow and steady build for the Chargers, who struggled to get the run-rate above six. Sourav Ganguly brought himself on in that period to take further pace off the ball on a slow pitch, making batting all the more difficult. Sangakkara and White played scintillating knock of 82 and 74 respectively to power Chargers to post a huge total on the board.
IPL: Deccan Chargers beat Pune Warriors
Sangakkara finally ended his bad run by smashing the first half-century in the tournament off 38 balls that included seven fours. Sanga lead Chargers fightback along with White, who also struck the fifty off 38 balls with the help of three fours and a six. White and Sangakkara reached to their 50-run stand in 43 balls for the third wicket to resurrect Deccan Chargers after losing openers early. Having managed only 91 in 14 overs, Sangakkara and White bludgeoned Pune bowlers to score 95 runs in the last six overs. The key was 18th and 19th over where Sangakkara and White took 25 runs each to consolidate. It was 40-year-old Pune skipper Sourav Ganguly who was clobbered for 25 runs and it changed the complexion of the innings.
Sangakkara then took on Nehra, showing the confidence to innovate by shuffling at the crease and fetching four boundaries, including two sixes. Attempted yorkers turned into friendly full tosses, which Sangakkara pounded over the leg side. Chargers ransacked 50 off two overs before the pair fell off successive deliveries. They smashed 95 off the last six overs and gave themselves a shot at beating the Warriors for the second time.
Chasing 187-run target, Pune lost Pandey when he played towards mid-on where Sangakkara took the catch off Ankit Sharma. The 90 runs partnership for the second wicket between Clarke and Ganguly were broken when the former got run-out while running for the second after being dropped by Shikhar Dhawan at point.
Dhawan then struck in his first over to give Pune another blow by removing Ganguly to leave Warriors at 96/3 in 12.4 overs.Clarke, who is making his IPL debut, hammered boundaries all over the park including three boundaries in a row off Dale Steyn in sixth over.
Robin Uthappa and Steven Smith added 62, but their efforts could not get them close to the target. The Chargers toasted their second win out of nine games this IPL and both have been against Pune Warriors. Deccan is still last in the league, while Pune are at seventh place.
Tags: Cricket, Deccan Chargers, IPL, IPL 2012, IPL 5, Kumar Sangakkara, Pune Warriors
