Ahmedabad, March 27: The big-hitting Yusuf Pathan (73 off 34 balls, 2x4) celebrated his inclusion into the Indian Twenty20 squad smashing eight sixes as the Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals, crushed the Deccan Chargers by eight wickets to cruise to their third successive win in Match 22 of IPL 2010 at Sardar Patel Stadium here on Friday night.
In a brutal assault Pathan demolished Deccan Chargers Hyderabad attack and Rajasthan Royals chased the modest target of 149 in 15.4 overs. Brilliant captaincy by Warne saw Rajasthan Royals restrict Deccan Chargers Hyderabad to a poor 148/9.
The Rajasthan Royals seem to have risen like the phoenix to climb up to the third spot of the leader board pushing their opponents the Deccan Chargers to the fourth spot. After three successive wins, Deccan Chargers slumped to their second defeat of the tournament.
Michael Lumb (45 off 32 balls, 7x4) was on a song as Rajasthan Royals chased the small target. The left-handed Lumb took 20 runs in left-arm seamer RP Singh’s second over, including four successive fours. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha broke the opening stand by having Naman Ojha stumped. But Lumb and Yusuf Pathan decimated the Deccan Chargers bowling attack before the opener was run out. The second wicket added 46 runs.
Earlier electing to bat, Deccan Chargers were shot out for their team’s lowest total in IPL 2010. Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait also proved too hot for the Deccan Chargers batsmen. He ended up with 3/22 while veteran leg spinner Shane Warne bowling a magical spell to finish 1/15 in his four overs, which made spectators believe that the wily spinner had indeed turned back the clock. To add to their woes the Deccan Chargers innings had three run outs in their innings.
Rajasthan Royals were on top from the word go in the very first over. The dangerous Adam Gilchrist perished in the fourth ball. Trying to hit medium pacer Sumit Narhwal, he managed to give a catch to Yusuf Pathan at mid-off for one. There was further trouble for the Deccan Chargers as VVS Laxman (10) became Tait’s first of three victims on the day. Herschelle Gibbs (14-ball 25; 2x4, 2x6) and Andrew Symonds looked good. Warne removed Gibbs, stumped brilliantly by Naman Ojha.
Deccan Chargers Hyderabad courted disaster as Symonds (14-ball 22) ran himself out, while going for a suicidal second run. It became 99/5 when T Suman, who was all at sea, was done in by in-swinger yorker from Tait. Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, who showed good athleticism, ran out Venugopal Rao with a lovely throw from covers.
Even as wickets tumbled at the other end, Rohit Sharma (2x4, 3x6) scored a 35-ball 49. Sharma, who struck the ball cleanly, had a charmed life when Adam Voges dropped a sitter at deep mid-wicket off off-spinner Yusuf Pathan. The strokeful Sharma hit the best stroke of the day when he swung Tait for a splendid straight six. He was out in the 20th over. Chaminda Vaas was the third run out victim for Deccan Chargers Hyderabad.
Thus, with Shane Warne looking near his best with the ball and his captaincy back to its innovative best, the Rajasthan Royals campaign for IPL 2010 looks back on track!
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