IPL 2012: Hussey, Gurukeerat keep Punjab alive after a thrilling chase

David Hussey and Gurukeerat Singh held their nerves to snatch a thrilling win over Deccan Chargers.

Feroz Khan

Mohali: Kings XI Punjab’s skipper David Hussey and 21-year-old Gurukeerat Singh held their nerves to snatch a thrilling win over Deccan Chargers by four wickets at Mohali on Sunday. Scorecard» I Points table » I As it happened» After losing three wickets in the space of five overs, Punjab’s hopes rested on the shoulders of their captain and he didn’t disappoint. Chasing a target of 191 runs, the home team began its quest badly losing the wicket of Nitin Saini and Shaun Marsh early in the innings. Then Azhar Mahmood (31) AND Hussey joined hands and guided them out of trouble. Just when they had reached a score of 100 runs and as the partnership was threatening to look take the game away from the Chargers, Amit Mishra flighted one in the air that beat Mahmood as he charged down the track. Parthiv Patel quickly dislodged the bails breaking the stand. Afterwards, Siddharth Chtinis lasted for 11 deliveries and Piyush Chawla for three but he scored two consecutive boundaries off Dale Steyn in the 17th over. In walked Gurukeerat Singh. The chances of Punjab making a comeback were slim. In between this, David Hussey was successful in scoring a boundary and a six every now and then when his team needed them most. The assault was at its prime when he milked Amit Mishra in the 15th over for 20 runs including two sixes and a four. In the end, Hussey along with Gurukeerat Singh managed to take the match down to the wire needing 16 runs from the final over. The ball was thrown to Manpreet Singh Gony as Dale Steyn had already completed his four overs. First ball and Hussey took a couple. The next went for a single. One strike was now Singh and he cleared his front foot to send the ball over deep midwicket boundary for a six. The next was guided to sweeper cover and the result was a boundary. The fifth went for a risky couple. The scores were level. A possibility of a super over was real. Sanga brought his fielders inside the circle to prevent the single and Gony dropped his last short. Gurukeerat pulled it towards long on for a four and the match was sealed. Earlier, Deccan Chargers with the help of in-form Shikhar Dhawan (71) and Cameron White (67*) posted 190/4 in their innings. They were helped by Punjab’s sloppy fielding as well as they dropped a few sitters that came to haunt them bad.