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Delhi v Deccan, IPL, Delhi

Pietersen ton keeps Deccan winless

Posted By Anoop Dubey

April 20,2012

Delhi Daredevils 162 for 5 (Pietersen 103*, Steyn 2-19) beat Deccan Chargers 157 for 8 (Parthiv 45*, Nadeem 3-16) by five wickets 

Deccan Chargers dropped Kevin Pietersen three times on his way to 103, the second century of IPL 2012. It was an innings that condemned Chargers to their fourth defeat this season and left them winless at the bottom of the table. After taking three early wickets in defense of a below-par 157, Chargers were on course to turn their fortunes around, but Pietersen denied them. He took Delhi Daredevils to the top of the table with his authoritative knock, his highest score in Twenty20 cricket and hit most sixes in an IPL innings this season - nine.

Daredevils held the advantage from the halfway mark. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and Morne Morkel took three wickets apiece to keep to pull Chargers back from 101 for 2 after 11 overs. Despite another spell of fury from Dale Steyn, Chargers were unable to keep Daredevils from joining Rajasthan Royals at the top of the table, with a game in hand.

Chargers began strongly in the field when Naman Ojha looked to launch IPL debutant Veer Pratap Singh over the off side but was caught by JP Duminy. It brought Pietersen to the crease earlier than expected and he could have been sent back off the second ball he faced. Steyn bowled an inswinger that cut Pietersen in half as it beat him but Pietersen responded by flicking Steyn for four through midwicket. The next over Pietersen pulled Steyn to short midwicket where Bharat Chipli should have taken the catch to send him on his way for six, but spilled it.