Bangalore Royal Challengers clinch a nail-bitter

Praveen Kumar’s disciplined bowling made the difference.

Bangalore Royal Challengers held their nerve at the death to claim a three-run win over Deccan Chargers and move off the foot of the IPL table. The Royal Challengers claimed four wickets for just five runs in the space of nine balls to limit their opponents to 153-6 and record only their second win in the IPL.

The script on a muggy evening was seemingly easing into the visitor’s pocket as Deccan Chargers skipper Laxman (52, 44b, 7x4) and Rohit Sharma (57, 42b, 5x4, 3x6) shared a 96-run third-wicket partnership off 70 deliveries after Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs found grateful fielders in the deep.

Chasing Royal Challengers’ 156 and needing 20 runs in the last over bowled by Anil Kumble, Sanjay Bangar and Arjun Yadav scrambled two singles. Bangar then hoisted two consecutive sixes and it all boiled down to six of two deliveries.

Bangar and Yadav flailed their bats and managed only a single each as Kumble flung his arms skywards. Deccan Chargers was grounded at 153 for six in 20 overs.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Chargers elected to bowl. Royal Challengers frittered away the initial impetus gained through a 72-run second-wicket partnership spanning 54 deliveries between opener Wasim Jaffer (44) and Virat Kohli (38). The left-arm spinner then castled Jacques Kallis and Kohli swatted R.P. Singh straight down sweeper cover’s throat. Misbah-ul-Haq failed against Afridi and it was left to skipper Rahul Dravid’s big hits against Scott Styris, to help the home side go past the 150-mark.

Royal Challengers has now four points from six matches while Deccan Chargers stays at the bottom with two from six outings.

The scores:

Royal Challengers Bangalore: B. Chipli b R.P. Singh 10, W. Jaffer c Gibbs b Ojha 44, V. Kohli c Bangar b R.P. Singh 38, J. Kallis b Ojha 6, Misbah lbw b Afridi 3, R. Dravid c Yadav b S. Styris 26, M. Boucher b R.P. Singh 16, Praveen Kumar (run out) 8, Zaheer (not out) 0; Extras: (lb-3, w-2) 5; Total: (for eight wickets in 20 overs) 156.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-85, 3-102, 4-104, 5-111, 6-135, 7-150, 8-156.

Deccan Chargers bowling: Vijay Kumar 3-0-18-0, R.P. Singh 4-0-41-3, Styris 4-0-29-1, Afridi 4-0-23-1, Ojha 4-0-28-2, Bangar 1-0-14-0.

Deccan Chargers: A. Gilchrist c Jaffer b Zaheer 10, V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Praveen 52, H. Gibbs c Kumble b Praveen 5, Rohit c Jaffer b Kallis 57, Afridi c Steyn b Praveen 1, Styris lbw b Zaheer 2, A. Yadav (not out) 3, S. Bangar (not out) 17; Extras: (b-1, lb-3, w-2); Total: (for six wickets in 20 overs) 153.

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-31, 3-127, 4-128, 5-132, 6-132.

Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Steyn 4-0-20-0, Zaheer 4-0-24-2, Praveen 4-0-23-3, Kumble 4-0-47-0, Kallis 4-0-35-1.