Kings XI Punjab 194-6 (David Hussey 65*, Azhar Mahmood 31, Dale Steyn 2-26) beat Deccan Chargers 190-4 (Shikhar Dhawan 71, Cameron White 67*, Azhar Mahmood 2-39) by 4 wickets.

David Hussey demonstrated a captain’s knock well supported by Gurkeerat Singh who made the win possible for the home side vs. Deccan Chargers in the IPL 2012.

Deccan Chargers amassed 190 runs for the loss of just four wickets in the measured 20 overs and Kings XI Punjab piled up 194 in the required quota of overs with four wickets in hand.

David Hussey (Kings XI Punjab) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his masterly unbeaten knock of 65 off just 35 balls.

The 61^st match of the Indian Premier League was played on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh.

Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of Deccan Chargers won the toss and preferred to bat first. The innings was opened by Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel while they opted for attack as 15 runs were accumulated in the second over. The first wicket produced 47 quick fired runs in the first six overs when Patel was gone for 18 and two runs later Sangakkara lost his wicket for just one run.

Cameron White joined in next with Dhawan and they did not compromise with the pace of scoring as the boundaries were flowing from the willows of both batsmen. Dhawan scored his fifty on the fourth ball of the 12^th over and the hundred of the innings was also posted on board. They added 96 runs for the third wicket in 10 overs when Dhawan was caught by Parvinder Awana off Praveen Kumar for 71 off just 50 balls with 3 lofty sixes and 4 fours.

Daniel Christian took guards in the centre as White achieved his half century in the 18^th over with a six and one four. Christian followed him in the next over by hitting a couple of sixes but lost his wicket on the fifth ball of the last over for 24 off 10 deliveries with 2 sixes and 1 four. Cameron White remained unbeaten for 67 off 41 balls with 1 six and 8 fours as Deccan Chargers piled up 190 runs with six wickets in hand.

Azhar Mahmood was the top wicket taker with two as Praveen Kumar and Parvinder Aawana claimed one wicket each.

Kings XI Punjab lost a couple of early wickets for 26 runs in 4.4 overs as Daniel Christian struck twice. Azhar Mahmood associated with Mandeep Singh as they opted to play aggressive cricket and gathered 16 runs in the sixth over with one six and two fours. The first fifty of the innings was completed in the seventh over as Mandeep Singh lost his wicket for 28 off 20 balls with 5 fours.

The skipper of Kings XI Punjab, David Hussey, came in next under the critical situation and instantly started toying with the bowlers by dispatching boundaries frequently and the hundred of the innings was attained in the 11^th over. The duo scored 16 runs in the 12^th over with one six and a four when Azhar Mahmood was stumped by the wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel off Amit Mishra for 31 off 20 balls with one six and two fours.

David Hussey kept  hopes alive and punished Mishra for 20 runs in the 15^th over with two sixes and one four as a couple of wickets went down from the other end. Kings XI Punjab required 42 runs from the last 20 balls when the young gun Gurkeerat Singh joined with his smooth going captain. The target was reduced to 16 from the last 6 balls and the final over of the innings was bowled by Manpreet Gony. Hussey managed three runs in the first two balls when Gurkeerat Singh accepted the challenge and sent the third ball flying over the deep midwicket for a six.

Kings XI Punjab needed seven runs from the last three balls as Gurkeerat Singh hit a four on the fourth ball and added a couple to the fifth. He dispatched the final ball for another four over the fine leg and achieved an unbelievable victory. David Hussey was at the crease for 65 off 35 deliveries with 5 huge sixes and 4 fours, Gurkeerat Singh butchered the bowlers and secured the other end with 29 of just 12 balls with 1 six and 4 fours as the home side scored 194 runs for the loss of six wickets.

Dale Steyn and Daniel Christian were the main strikers with two wickets each whereas Manpreet Gony and Amit Mishra held one wicket each.

Points secured by both teams at the end of the 61^st match of the Indian Premier League 2012:

Kings XI Punjab – 14 from 13 games at a net run rate of -0.270.

Deccan Chargers  –    5 from 14 games at a net run rate of -0.680.