Punjab hang on after thriller

Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab, IPL, Johannesburg

The Bulletin by Shwe Wai

Kings XI Punjab 134 for 7 (Sangakkara 52, RP Singh 3-26) beat Deccan Chargers 133 for 8 (Rohit 42, Yuvraj 3-13) by 1 run
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	It was a tremendous effort from the Kings XI Punjab bowlers as Yuvraj Singh bagged his second hat-trick of the tournament

Kings XI Punjab lived to see another day in the IPL after a tremendous bowling effort - highlighted by Yuvraj Singh's second hat-trick of the tournament - gave them a one-run win over the Deccan Chargers off the last ball of the game. Rohit Sharma played yet another crucial innings for Deccan but Punjab fought back valiantly after a poor batting performance.

Adam Gilchrist had given Deccan a brisk start of 30 in three overs. But Ramesh Powar's entry into the attack turned things around. Powar took two in two in his first over and the scoring rate dropped considerably. But Deccan were still ahead of the required run-rate in the 12th over when Yuvraj struck with Gibbs' wicket. He returned in the 14th to take two more and after that Deccan were playing catch-up.

They needed 43 off 18 when Rohit hit two sixes and a four off Wilkin Mota to bring Deccan back in the game. Fourteen off the next over meant Deccan needed 11 off the final. Irfan Pathan, who went for 18 in his first over, was handed the ball. Rohit got an edge to go for four off the second and Pathan followed with a wide. Four needed off the last three: Rohit tried to hit to midwicket and was bowled, RP Singh survived one ball before top-edging the next to Pathan. Needing four of the final ball, Ryan Harris hit it to the off side and Brett Lee fumbled in the pick-up but Harris was never interested in the unlikely third run that would give Punjab the tie. Now Deccan have to win their next game against the Bangalore Royal Challengers to have any hope of reaching the semi-final.

Powar's introduction worked as an antidote to Pathan's horror first over - Gilchrist pulled a short and wide one for four, hit a fuller ball for six over midwicket, drove an over-pitched delivery between point and cover for four before flicking another boundary to fine leg. Gilchrist leapt out of the crease to the first ball, pitched outside leg, looking to hit it over midwicket. But it turned sharply towards off stump and he was too far down the track to make his way back. T Suman, the new batsman, also stepped out of the crease and completely missed the line to be bowled. Andrew Symonds faced the hat-trick ball and lofted it over mid-on for a four, though he didn't middle it.