Mishra's hat-trick spurs Daredevils to nail down Deccan Chargers

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Amit Mishra took a last over hat-trick to end Delhi Daredevils' four-match losing streak as Deccan Chargers suffered yet another defeat, going down by 12 runs to the hosts in the IPL tie played at Feroz Shah Kotla here tonight.

Mishra scalped five wickets for Daredevils in his four overs conceding just 17 runs.

For a moment, history might have haunted captain Virender Sehwag as the Deccan Chargers required exactly the same number of runs in the last over which they conceded against Chennai Super Kings to lose their last match at home.

But Amit Mishra scripted a different story and took the second hat-trick of the tournament after Chennai Super Kings' Laxmipati Balaji to inflict yet another defeat on Deccan Chargers.

The Deccan Chargers brought in a different opening combination when Shahid Afridi joined his captain Adam Gilchrist to take on the Daredevils's 194.

Adam Gilchrist began well but Glen McGrath did not allow his former teammate to settle down and removed him in his second over for 14.

But Herchelle Gibbs, who joined the dangerous Afridi, looked in devastating form and both raised the team's 50 in the fifth over.

Both the batsmen blasted away a series of sixes and fours but Afidi's quickfire 33 came to an end when he lofted Amit Mishra straight to substitue AB de Villiers. His 14-ball knock had two huge sixes and and three boundaries.

Both Gibbs and Afridi put on 50 runs in just 23 balls.

Gibbs, who looked good for some time, did not take long and followed Afridi when he was clean bowled by Mishra for 22 runs.

After the end of the 10th over Deccan Chargers still required 111 runs to give them their third win of the tournament with Rohit Sharma and Scott Styris on crease.

Sharma, who has played exceptionally well in his star-studded side, looked threatening during his stay at the crease.

He looked in complete command and hit an 18-ball 35 runs.

Sharma did not let Daredevils take advantage of the situation but a paddle sweep off Farveez Maharoof brought about his downfall as he was clean bowled to the bowler.

The task became tougher for the visitors with Sharma's departure but Styris, who has been desperate for runs in the tournament, kept the hopes alives.

It was a tough ask for the Deccan Chargers who required 43 runs in the last three overs and Styris succumbed to the pressure and was caught out off Maharoof's bowling.

Venugopal Rao, however, refused to cave in and blasted 16 runs in three balls from Maharoof to reduce the margin to make it 25 runs of the last two overs but McGrath ended his challenge in the very next over.

Earlier in the evening, Gambhir continued his brilliant form in the tournament as he stroked a masterly 79 off 48 balls while Shikhar Dhawan finished unbeaten on 68.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Daredevils' captain Sehwag failed to give his side a flying start and went for a duck off Vijaykumar in the first over of the innings.

Sehwag slashed a delivery wide of his off-stump only to see it being caught by RP Singh at third man.

Gambhir, meanwhile, took the attack to the opposition and gave his side the required momentum. The opener in company of Shikhar Dhawan smashed RP Singh's second over for 20 runs whicluded two well timed sixes from Gambhir of consecutive balls.

Gambhir was lucky to get a life when Vijaykumar was denied his second wicket. The left-hander scooped a delivery at covers where Rohit Sharma failed to judge the catch and eventually dropped it.

Gambhir was then on 29.

Shikhar Dhawan, too, started prospering in Gambhir's company as the two left-handers raised the Daredevils' 50 in the sixth over.

Half way through the innings, the duo took their team's total to 76 for one with Gambhir needing six runs for his half century while Dhawan was on 28.

Gambhir, who is currently the leading run-getter in the tournament, reached his 50 in the 11th over and took 34 balls to move ahead of the pack.

Meanwhile, Adam Gilchrist, continued to shuffle his bowlers to get a breakthrough as the Gambhir-Dhawan duo raised a 100-run partnership in the 13th over and were looking dangerous to post a huge total. The two Daredevils' batsmen have already been involved in some fruitful partnerships including the 98-run stand against Chennai Super Kings here.

In search of a wicket, Gilchrist finally brought Shahid Afridi in the 14th over. But the pair gave Afridi a taste of his own batting and clobbered him for 18 runs which also included a stunning six at mid-wicket by Gambhir.

Gilchrist's search for a wicket finally ended when the captain stumped Gambhir of a wide delivery from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. Gambhir scored 79 runs off 48 balls with three sixes and seven fours. However, when the opener departed, he had already laid the foundation for a challenging total.

The Gambhir-Dhawan duo put on a massive 132-run stand.

However, there was no let-off from Daredevils' as Fervez Mahroof, who joined Dhawan, did not wait too long and hit two lusty blows out side the ground.

His 19-run cameo came to an end when he fell for Ojha's flight and lofted the ball straight to Rohit Sharma who did not make any mistake this time. For Deccan Chargers, who are lying at the bottom of the table with Bangalore Royal Challengers, Vijaykumar was the most economical bowler conceding 24 runs off his four overs and claimed an important wicket of Sehwag as well.

Sri Lankan all-rounder T Dilshan made a useful contribution of 16 runs off six balls in the death overs in which he hit a six and two boundaries.

The last over bowled by RP Singh proved expensive as Daredevils scored 14 runs off him to finish at 194 for four. Singh finished his quota of four overs giving away 50 runs and went wicketless.

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