By IANS,
Hyderabad : Bangalore Royal Challengers pulled off their fourth win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) beating Deccan Chargers by five wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium here Sunday.
The win at least assured Royal Challengers that they will not finish at the bottom of the table. Deccan Chargers, who have just two victories from 13 matches, will end up as the last team in the IPL even if they win their last match against Chennai Super Kings Tuesday.
Chargers failed to break their home jinx losing all their seven matches here. There only wins have come at Bangalore and Chennai.
Electing to bat, Chargers failed to capitalise on the good start given by openers Adam Gilchrist (46) and Herschelle Gibbs (47) and were dismissed for a modest total of 165. Challengers achieved the target with one over and five wickets to spare.
Gilchrist and Gibbs added 101 runs for the first wicket in 11.2 overs, but Chargers lost their way in the middle overs as wickets fell in quick succession.
Rohit Sharma began well but a blow to his right hand from a Vinay Kumar (3-27) delivery, which rose unexpectedly, restricted him to a paltry score of 17.
Challengers, who surprisingly opened the bowling with Anil Kumble, bowled tightly in the death overs giving just 16 runs in last three overs. Dale Steyn was clinical in his bowling and returned figures of two for 19. Virat Kohli suitably replaced injured Jacques Kallis, who retired midway through his second over, and snapped two wickets.
Challengers did not have a good start, as they lost two wickets through run-outs. Wasim Jaffer fell for five runs after falling short of crease in the second over. Kallis was next to go after a Chamara Silva throw found his runner, again Jaffer, out of his crease.
With Challengers struggling at 46 for two wickets in six overs, the match look well within the grasp of Chargers. But cameos from Misbah-ul-Haq (34), Rahul Dravid (31), Cameron White (31) and B. Akhil (27) ensured that the team registered a convincing victory.