BackBangalore pip Chargers by 9 wickets, secure Champions League berth
Bangalore pip Chargers by 9 wickets, secure Champions League berth
PremiumRoyal Challengers Bangalore’s Rahul Dravid plays a shot during the IPL3 third place match against Deccan Chargers, in Mumbai, on Saturday. Shashank Parade/PTI
Mumbai: Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday qualified for the Champions League Twenty20 after routing Deccan Chargers comprehensively by nine wickets in the third-fourth place play-off match of the Indian Premier League.
With this win RCB not only secured a place in September’s lucrative Champions League Twenty20 but also earned a sweet revenge over Deccan for their defeat in the final of the last edition of the tournament in South Africa.
Royal Challengers picked up the third finisher’s prize of Rs1.75 crore with this victory while Chargers took home Rs1.25 crore.
Dravid in Jacques Kallis’ (19) company first added 36 runs in 7.2 overs for the opening wicket before sharing an unbeaten 50-run stand with Pietersen to seal the convincing win for Bangalore.
Kallis, who faced 32 balls and struck three fours, was the only RCB wicket to fall, caught and bowled by leg spinner Rahul Sharma.
Dravid struck three fours during his 30-ball innings while Pietersen decorated his 21-ball stay at the crease with one boundary and two sixes.
Earlier sent into bowl, Kumble spun the web around Deccan batting line up, picking up four wickets while Kallis (2/3) and Praveen Kumar (2/18) provided him able support from the other end to bundle out the Hyderabad outfit cheaply.
The other wicket takers were Dale Steyn and Nayan Doshi, son of former India Test bowler Dilip Doshi, who got one apiece as five Deccan batsmen failed to open their accounts.
Deccan, which slumped to 35 for five at one stage, recovered poised with 43-run sixth wicket stand between Anirudh Singh (40 off 39 balls) and Venugopal Rao (24 off 27 balls) before suffering another collapse.
The Deccan top order failed to raise to the occasion with skipper Adam Gilchrist, Rohit Sharma, Mohnish Mishra and Andrew Symonds, all falling cheaply.
Deccan began in a disastrous fashion, losing Gilchrist, who had a terrible tournament with the bat, in the fourth ball of the innings.
Brief Scores
Deccan Chargers: 82 all out in 18.3 overs (Anirudh Singh 40, Y Venugopal Rao 24; Anil Kumble 4/16, Jacques Kallis 2/3, Praveen Kumar 2/18).
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 86 for one in 13.5 overs (Rahul Dravid 35 not out, Kevin Pietersen 29 not out).
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