Comfortable win for Deccan Chargers against Pune Warriors

Mumbai: Deccan Chargers produced a disciplined performance to beat Pune Warriors by six wickets in the Indian Premier League here Monday.

Scorecard

Deccan Chargers decided to field and restricted Pune Warriors to 136 for nine in 20 overs. The spinners - Amit Mishra (2-26) and Pragyan Ojha (2-35) - bowled well. Medium-pacer Daniel Christian also chipped in with two wickets, giving away only 13 runs in his three overs.

The Deccan Chargers top order then put up valuable contributions and romped home in 19.2 overs.

Shikhar Dhawan (28) and Sunny Sohal (34) put on 67 runs for the first wicket, setting the tone for the chase. Dhawan hit four fours while Sohal struck two fours and two sixes.

Deccan Chargers captain Kumar Sangakkara scored 25 off 21 balls and shared 35 runs with Jean Paul Duminy (23).

Sangakkara was dismissed by leg-spinner Rahul Sharma (2-25), who has been impressive this season.

Duminy looked like runnng away with the match when he charged down for a big six off Yuvraj Singh. He was bowled by his South African teammate and left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell while attempting another big shot.

In the end, Christian (14) and Bharat Chipli (5) guided the team home.

The match was of academic interest, with both teams already out of reckoning for the play-offs.

Earlier, Pune Warriors lost quick wickets at the top and were soon reduced to 45/5. Sourav Ganguly, playing his second match in the current edition, survived only five balls and was out for a duck off Christian (2-13).

Mitchell Marsh (37), along with Callum Ferguson (11) and Parnell (16), held the fort to put up a fighting total.