Deccan edge IPL thriller

A captaincy blunder in the final over from Kolkata Knight Riders proved decisive as they slipped to a six-wicket loss to Deccan Chargers in a riveting Indian Premier League encounter at the Wanderers.

Needing 21 runs from the final over, skipper Brendon McCullum only had three fielders inside the circle for the first ball instead of the mandatory four.

As a result, the delivery was no-balled by the umpires and also hammered away for a four by Rohit Sharma.

The bowler Mashrafe Mortaza, who was playing his first game of the season, went on to concede 21 more runs, mainly to the bat of Sharma as Deccan sealed the game with a final ball six.

Brad Hodge (48) and David Hussey (43) had earlier helped their side set a target of 161 for victory, but Kolkata, who have won just one game in the competition thus far, showed their lack of confidence by reaching the midway point in their innings at 50 for one.

Rohit Sharma produced some impressive late hitting to ensure Deccan edged past Kolkata in the final over

Buy this photo

During that time, McCullum and Sourav Ganguly shared an opening 27 run stand, before the former – dropped an over earlier by Herschelle Gibbs at point – top-edged Ryan Harris to Tirumalsetti Suman at square leg for 20.

Hodge and Ganguly did manage to put on 58 for the next wicket, but they took more than 10 overs, until the partnership was broken.

Sharma was the bowler with the former India skipper lofting a straightforward catch to Harris at long-off for 33 in 41 balls.

Hodge continued to attack, taking his side past the 100-mark, before he too went – Harris ending his fellow Australian’s 41-ball stay when he had him caught by Harmeet Singh at mid-wicket.

But Hussey made the most of the 19th over that saw RP Singh bowl just three deliveries after which he had to be replaced for bowling two no-balls over the waist.

The over eventually yielded 28 runs – the most expensive in the competition thus far – as the Knight Riders reached 160 for five.

In response, Gilchrist and Gibbs mixed attack with defence as they put on 68 for the first wicket to set Deccan a solid platform.

However, just as the game looked to be running completely away from Kolkata, Hodge removed his fellow countryman for 43, caught by Laxmi Shukla at deep square leg, followed by Gibbs (28) pulling Murali Kartik straight to Hussey at deep midwicket.

Suman (31) and Andrew Symonds (18) then left their side in even further trouble when they were needlessly run out with 34 runs still required in the final three overs.

Only 13 were conceded in the 18th and 19th overs, but Mortaza was poor in the final one as Sharma put him to the sword ending on 32 not out from just 13 balls to lift Deccan to third on the table.