CUTTACK, March 21 (PTI): Andrew Symonds purple patch continued as he came up with yet another all-round display to steer defending champions Deccan Chargers to a 10-run win over Delhi Daredevils in a thrilling Indian Premier League match here today.
Symonds first scored a brisk 24-ball 35 and then starred with the ball with figures of three for 21, apart from a coming up with a stunning catch to dismiss dangerman Dinesh Karthik, to guide the Chargers home in the match that saw fortunes fluctuating from one team to the other.
With this win, the Hyderabad outfit has recorded its third consecutive victory in the Twenty20 event after losing the tournament opener against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Daredevils, on the other hand, have slumped to their third defeat on the trot from as many as five outings.
For Daredevils, explosive David Warner made a quickfire 57 off 33 balls upfront, while skipper Karthik seemed determined to see his side home with a dangerous-looking 27-ball 46-run innings.
Symomnds was ably supported with the ball by Left-arm spinner Rahul Sharma who captured two crucial wickets for 42 runs to help his side�s cause.
Earlier opting to bat, Chargers� skipper Adam Gilchrist (24 off 14), Herschelle Gibbs (31 off 26), Rohit Sharma (45 off 30) and T Suman (29 off 19) chipped in with useful contributions, apart from Symonds, to help Chargers post a competitive 171 for six on the board.
Chasing 172 for victory, Daredevils lost the plot towards the end and could only manage 161 for nine wickets after they were provided with a solid foundation by Warner and AB de Villiers (27 off 26) with a 51-run first wicket stand.
The Delhi, however, did not have an ideal start to their innings as they lost dashing opener Virender Sehwag (3) early, caught Gibbs off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.
But Warner looked in a ferocious mood as he murdered the Hyderabad bowlers for four boundaries and as many sixes during his 33-ball essay before he fell prey to a suicidal run out.
De Villiers too followed suit soon clean bowled by Rahul Sharma to see Daredevils in a spot of bother.
But Karthik was in no mood to give up without a fight and he took the Hyderabad bowlers to task, hitting four fours and two sixes during his quickfire innings.
Kathik struck Rahul Sharma for two fours and a six to pick up 17 runs of the 18th over and change the course of the match in Delhi�s favour.
However, it was not to be Delhi day as needing 20 off the last two overs Symonds came up with a brilliant reflex catch of his own bowling to dismiss Karthik.
