HYDERABAD, India, (Reuters) – Yusuf Pathan punished Deccan Chargers for dropping him three times by hitting an unbeaten 47 to set up a 20-run win for Kolkata Knight Riders who went top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday.
Pathan clubbed three sixes in his knock to power Kolkata to 169 for four wickets, with 82 runs coming in the final seven overs.
The powerful right-hander added 80 runs for the fourth wicket with Manoj Tiwary (33) after useful contributions from Jacques Kallis (30) and captain Gautam Gambhir (35).
The Chargers started briskly in their chase but left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla’s double strike in the fifth over and Rajat Bhatia’s two wickets in the 11th over took the target out of their reach.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan hit a 45-ball 54 for the Chargers but his team mates failed to provide support as they ended at 149 for six.
Kolkata’s sixth victory from nine matches took them to 12 points at the top of the IPL. Deccan, on six points, have three wins from nine matches.
