In a must win match to turn their fortunes, Deccan Chargers (DC) pulled off a thrilling seven-wicket victory Thursday over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) III T20 game at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium here.
Chasing a target of 185 runs set by Challengers, Chargers posted 186 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets in 19.2 overs, with dashing T.Suman and Andrew Symonds putting up a solid fourth wicket partnership of 91 runs in 8.2 overs.
Suman, who walked into the middle at the fall of opening batsman Monish Mishra in the third over when the score was just 11, stayed put to score a brilliant 78 with six 4s and three mighty sixes. He was declared the man of the match.
Similarly, Symonds, who joined Suman in the 12th over after Rohit Sharma was out cheaply for 6, hit 53 in just 24 balls with five 4s and three 6s.
With Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, Suman was involved in a second wicket partnership of 77 runs 8.3 overs.
Earlier, put to bat, Challengers scored 184 for 6 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs, with a rear-guard fighting knock by Virat Kohli and opener Jacques Kallis who accelerated the run-rate in the slog overs by raising the score to 163 runs in the 19th over by hitting huge sixes and fours.
The fifth wicket partnership between Kallis and Kohli yielded 95 runs in 52 balls.
Kallis made 68 in 44 balls, with one 6 and nine 4s, while Kohli scored 58 in just 35 balls with four 6s and four 4s.
For the IPL II title holders Chargers, Ryan Harris and Pragyan Ojha were the most successful bowlers taking two each crucial wickets.