Table-topper Deccan Chargers’ fairytale campaign continued in the second Indian Premier League with the Adam Gilchrist-led side edging out Chennai Super Kings by six wickets to maintain their clean slate here today.
Chasing 166, Deccan Chargers rode on Herschelle Gibbs’ (69 not out) second half-century of the tournament and captain Gilchrist’s scoring 44 off 19 balls to cruise to 169 for four in 19.3 overs to record their fourth win on the trot.
Put into bat, Chennai Super Kings had earlier posted 165 for six, courtesy Matthew Hayden’s belligerent 49 and Jacob Oram’s breezy unbeaten 41 down the order.
Gilchrist and Gibbs were clearly in a hurry to wrap up the match and with both the batsmen going after the bowlers, Chennai simply had no respite.
Gilchrist hit Lakshmipathy Balaji for back-to-back fours in the first over to signal his intention. The Chennai pacer had a chance to settle scores in the next over but Balaji grassed a difficult caught-and-bowled chance and Gilchrist was simply unstoppable as he hit the pacer for two sixes and a boundary in that productive over.
