By Jamie Alter
Kings XI Punjab’s bid to scale another summit ended rather flatly in the high altitude of Dharamsala. Shikhar Dhawan, with an unbeaten 95, Amit Mishra with a hat-trick, were the architects of the big total and in reply KXIP faded with a whimper.
Published: May 21, 2011, 07:29 PM (IST)
Edited: May 21, 2011, 07:29 PM (IST)
Deccan players celebrate the fall of a wicket during their IPL match against Punjab © AFP
By Jamie Alter
Dharamsala: May 21, 2011
Kings XI Punjab’s bid to scale another summit ended rather flatly in the high altitude of Dharamsala. The match was conceded in the first half, when Adam Gilchrist chose to field and was let down by his butter-fingered fielders who spilled five chances during Deccan Chargers’ season-high 198 for two. Shikhar Dhawan, with an unbeaten 95, and Dwaraka Ravi Teja, who live a charmed live during his 41-ball 60, were the architects of that big total and in reply KXIP faded with a whimper. DC’s hat-trick of wins at the end of a disappointing season was polished with Amit Mishra seizing a hat-trick in the 16th over.
KXIP had only themselves to blame for letting DC get away so strongly. Cameron White’s side could have been two down in the first over, except Ryan McLaren missed the stumps and Paul Valtathy put down Ravi Teja in the deep. Lucky to survive that run-out chance off his first delivery, Dhawan played some crunchy shots as he led a strong start for his team. He was particularly strong off his pads, and his first five boundaries all came between mid-on and fine leg.
Dhawan’s fifty needed just 35 balls, but the landmark was hardly noticed during a frenetic period of shoddy fielding and gung-ho batting from his opening partner. There were plenty of crude hacks and miscued pull shots for Ravi Teja, and in the space of five deliveries he escaped a run-out appeal, edged twice to third man for four, and was let off by Ryan Harris at mid-on.
Ravi Teja proceeded to thump Chawla for consecutive sixes and delectably cut four between two men on the offside in a 20-run over that took him to fifty. With each passing delivery Ravi Teja added to KXIP’s frustration, and it was relief for the home team when he was held at deep midwicket the delivery after he had been dropped by Harris for a second time.
Chawla came in for further punishment from Dhawan and was left to nurse figures of 0 for 48 from his quota, while Harris and Bharghav Bhatt also felt the fury of the left-hander’s bat. There was no century for Dhawan as White played five balls during the final over, but his Twenty20 best had ensured victory for DC.
KXIP’s chase was dented early when Valtathy and Shaun Marsh were back in the dugout inside two overs. Dale Steyn’s pace was too much for Valtathy, while the lack of it from JP Duminy did for Marsh who slashed to short third man after lacing three boundaries in eight deliveries.
Gilchrist, dropped on six by Steyn off his own bowling, dominated a 61-run stand with Dinesh Karthik whose contribution was just 11. He tore into Anand Rajan and Pragyan Ojha with a series of bullish strokes, was quick to rock back and drive off the front foot when width was offered, and briefly threatened to upset DC. But unfortunately for the home crowd the fun ended on 51 when Gilchrist drove Daniel Christian to White at extra cover.
Karthik followed in the same over, cutting Christian to the sweeper in the deep and with that the chase was over. Mishra needed to do little more than just pitch the ball to snap up his second IPL hat-trick: McLaren picked out deep midwicket, Kedar Devdhar was stumped by a mile, and Harris’ poor day ended when he cut the hat-trick delivery to second slip. Mishra added Praveen Kumar to finish with outstanding figures of four for seven.
Brief Scores: DC 198 for 2 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 95*, Dwaraka Ravi Teja 60; Paul Valtathy 1 for 24) bt KXIP 116 in 19 overs (Adam Gilchrist 51; Amit Mishra 4 for 7, Daniel Christian 21) by 82 runs.
Man of the Match: Shikhar Dhawan
(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. He is the author of two books, The History of World Cup Cricket and Field of Dreams: The Story of the Dr. DY Patil Sports Stadium. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter)
