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Over 20: Shukla will bowl the last over. A single follows a skied two off a no-ball, giving the Chargers a smidgen of hope. The free hit is a dot ball; gosh! New batsman Singh hammer for four, then getting a single. Two runs and a dot ball end the match, with the Kolkata Knight Riders winning by 23 runs. That's it from us. Next up: Rajasthan Royals take on Delhi Daredevils.
Over 19: Shukla is onto bowl for the first time today. A couple of useless singles are taken before Rao cleverly paddles a delivery away past short fine leg for four. He then misses a full toss and squirts away a single to point. The last ball of the over is yorker, which Vaas hacks at, misses, and is castled. A duo of dot balls don't help the batting side's cause before Rao slashes confidently over the cover fence for six. A couple of unwanted leg-side wides and a series of fruitless singles ensue, leaving the host team needing nothing short of a miracle off the final over of the match.
Over 18: Shukla is onto bowl for the first time today. A couple of useless singles are taken before Rao cleverly paddles a delivery away past short fine leg for four. He then misses a full toss and squirts away a single to point. The last ball of the over is yorker, which Vaas hacks at, misses, and is castled.
Over 17: Gul returns to the bowling fray and has his opening delivery banged straight back past him for two. Vaas then plays a shot more suited to the game of tennis and gets a single for his over-handed effort. Gul responds with a wide bringing the extras tally to an unlucky 13. Rao drives the ground and, thanks to some sloppy fielding on the ropes, gets four. The Pakistani pace ace again drops short and Rao duly sails the ball over mid wicket to bring up his 50 with the maximum. The rest of the over brings a couple of singles as this encounter enters the final three overs.
Over 16: Ishant is back into the attack, as Kolkata look to their strike bowlers to finish things off. His return is not too great as, after a couple of singles and dot balls, Rao spanks him over the thrid-man ropes for six and then gets himself a tidy four through the point area. It's probably too little too late, but you just never know.
Over 15: Ganguly comes back onto bowl. A couple of singles accrue before Bangar's short contribution with the willow comes to an end. Dear Sourav picks up another wicket as Sanjay slaps a full one straigt to the fielder at wide mid on. Vaas is the new man in, with his team falling fast. A dot ball and two down the ground end the over.
Over 14: Rao, never one for defensive strokes, tucks in with a six over mid wicket, a flatter six over long off and then an even bigger six over long on. Kartik is perplexed and does not know where to pitch it next. He responds with a full toss which is duly nailed to long on for a one-bouncer four. The last ball of the over is a sweep stroke which finds the short fine-leg fielder and it's a valuable dot ball for the spinner and his team.
Over 13: Dinda returns to the attack and has Sharma flick him away past fine leg for four. The dangerman has to go as Ganguly takes a solid catch on the on side; Sharma is understandably saddened by his shot selection as he makes his way back to the hut. Bangar comes to the crease and plays out a couple of dot balls before garnering a single to get off the mark. Rao, the man Hyderabad's hopes sit with now, gets two and a single to finish off a successful over for the bowling side.
Over 12: Kartik's approach is quite special for now as the batsmen have two be content with singles and twos around the park. With the required run rate growing with every completed over, boundaries are the name of the game. Sharma has to be there at the end if the Deccan Chargers are to walk off triumphant today.
Over 11: A single for Rao allows Sharma to get ahold of a half volley and thump it over cow corner for the maximum. The rest of the over sees the strike rotated well enough with singles around the ground. Some clever running brings a two down the ground and that's the end of a lucrative over for the chasing Chargers.
Over 10: It's time for some spin, with Kartik into the attack. Sharma gives himself room two deliveries in a row, getting a mere single for his dancing efforts. Rao stands his ground, seeing off a dot ball before tickling a single away to the on side. Sharma puts in the slog sweep, misses and gets a leg bye. A single down the ground off the bat of Rao brings to an end a very good opening over from the bearded Indian spinner. At the halfway mark the Hyderabad franchise are 74 for four. Over 9: Silly Styris' stint with the bat is over with as he whips his head in the sky, takes his eyes off the ball, and hoists in hope. Alas, the ball is straight down the throat of the fielder in the deep on the on side and Rao is the new man in. Ganguly errs down leg and Sharma duly smacks it over mid wicket for the maximum. A single brings Rao the strike, who is beaten twice on the trot and survives a minor appeal for stumped in the process. Over 8: Gul builds further pressure by putting together an over spoilt only by a lucky four off the last ball. The Pakistani pace ace is right up there with blockhole balls aplenty, the last of which Sharma manages to get a bit of bat on and square away for the first boundary in almost 20 deliveries. Styris needs to follow suit, and pick up this shoddy strike rate of his. Over 7: Captain courageous Ganguly is into the attack. He starts off marvelously with a trio of dot balls and then just three singles. It's rather obvious from the get-go that Styris and Sharma prefer the ball coming onto the bat quicker, so the employment of the slower bowlers may be an angle the Kolkata skipper may look to use from here on in. Over 6: More success for Kolkata as Gul comes into the attack and strikes instantly with the wicket of Teja; caught behind attempting an explosive drive. Styris joins fellow new batsman Rohit at the crease. The Kiwi is off the mark with a single squirted away to third man, afterwhich Rohit is straight into the thick of things with a drive over mid-off for four. Gul isn't pleased and digs in a short one. He oversteps in the process leaving Sharma to mow the free hit over mid wicket for four and bring up the team 50. The boundary ball was another no-ball, which Sharma can't get away for runs. A scampered single to the off side, another no-ball and another single down the ground brings to an end an over best described as a 'mixed bag'. Over 5: Dinda comes in for some tap as Gilchrist miscues through mid on for four. The Oz star then survives a run-out, gathering two runs to mid wicket in the process. The next two deliveries are consecutive boundaries as Gilchrist drives over the bowler's head and then through extra cover. A mis-timed single to short mid wickets yields a dot ball before the dangerman is gone, mis-timing a pull and caught by opposing skipper Ganguly on the on side. Over 4: Sharma, after a couple of handy deliveries, spoils a potentially good over by erring in length which Gilchrist duly pulls for four. Another single gives Teja the strike and he obliges with an uppish drive over gully's head for a boundary too. It's a big target they are chasing, so chancing their arm at least thrice an over is the order of the day. Over 3: Dinda continues and Gibbs' poor form continues as he tries to go big but holes out to third man. Teja is the new man in and he gets off the mark with a sweetly timed four through point. Dinda ends his successful second over with a handful of dot balls and a length delivery prodded through the covers for a mere single; fine young talent this man. Over 2: Ishant will share the new ball with Dinda. The lanky Indian speedster keeps things tight for the majority of the over, conceding just a single and a leg bye off the first five balls. However, Gilchrist spoils the party by coming down the wicket and nailing a boundary straigt past the disgusted paceman. The legendary Aussie is just beginning to get into the swing of things now. Over 1: Gilchrist and Gibbs will open the batting for the Chargers, with Dinda to take the new ball for Kolkata. The big-hitting Aussie faces first up and can't middle a couple of dot balls before almost falling in the covers for a duck. However, the looped stroke falls short of fielder Ganguly and Gilchrist is off the mark. Gibbs sees off a couple of dot balls too before savaging the final delivery to the point fence for four. It's time for the Deccan Chargers's knock, so here we go again... Over 20: Singh will bowl the last over of the Knight Riders' knock. The first ball brings a cheeky single, with Hussey surviving a near run-out. Taibu finally middles one and racks up a boundary to cow corner. His stint with the bat is over with as the third ball is struck to to Teja at extra cover. Shukla is the new man in. He times well and gets a yorker away for four on the on side. Ball five brings him another boundary, this time over square leg. The last ball of the innings sees a peculiar six, as Singh's stupidity sees four verthrows accrue off a ball that should have yielded a mere two down the ground. That's it, the Kolkata Knight Riders have posted a formidable 204 for four. Stick around for the chase, it should be a humdinger. Over 19: Vijaykumar comes back onto bowl. He bangs the first ball in short and Ganguly can't get ahold of all of it, getting a top edge and perishing to the fine leg fielder for a masterful 91. With just 11 deliveries left in the innings, Zimbabwe's Taibu comes to the crease. Hussey hits the next ball straight down the throat of the man at mid wicket but it's a no-ball. The free hit fails to produce a boundary, with just a couple accrued to fine leg. The remainder of the over is all slogging and not much wisdom, with Taibu surviving as Vaas puts down a sitter on the on side. Over 18: Singh returns to the bowling fray. Hussey picks up consecutive twos to the mid-wicket fence before nailing a full toss over the bowler's head for six. The next ball pitches but is too full and is accordingly hammered through the extra-cover for a boundary. The big-hitting Aussie brings up his half-ton with a biggie over square leg and then slaps the last ball of the over straigh back at Singh, who clasps at it hopefully buy has to be content with a mere dot ball. 20 runs off the over, with the century partnership coming up in the process. Over 17: Vaas returns to the attack and, after a hopeful dot ball, watches in horror as Ganguly milks a rank full toss over the ropes for another biggie. Hussey gets the strike after an easy single and Vaas, clearly rattled, coughs up another full toss which the Aussie duly smacks for four. Indeed, the third full toss in five deliveries sails over the long-on fence, with Hussey loving this terrible bowling. Vaas finally pitches one and Hussey manages to smear it away to the on side. 19 runs off that over. Over 16: Styris returns to the attack. Ganguly picks up a single and Hussey then inside edges through the keeper's legs and gets a lucky four. The next delivery is hit down to long on, with Gibbs putting down a tough chance. Ganguly is on top of a rank long hop from the Kiwi in a flash and gathers and easy six over mid wicket. A ball later he goes over long on too and gets six more. The last ball of the over sees the potential centurion survive a half-hearted appeal for caught behind by Gilchrist and Styris. Over 15: A couple of singles followed by a two courtesy even more sad fielding accrue, afterwhich Hussey double steps and nails a four past the diving long-on fielder. The Aussie is down the pitch again but this time finds the fielder on the bounce and gets just one for his efforts. As the mascots and the cheerleader dance up a storm on the sidelines, this innings enters the final five-overs slog. Over 14: Ojha squeezes in a valuable dot ball before being thumped over the long-on fence for consecutive sixes by Ganguly. The young spinner then tries to change his line but succeeds only in bowling a wide. Sourav and Hussey bag a couple more singles before the former savages a four straight past the bowler off the last ball of an over that yielded 19 runs. Over 13: With spin operating at both ends, Ganguly gets his foot movement going and bangs a four back over Rao's head to bring up his half-ton. The rest of the over is relatively quiet as Hussey and his batting partner nudge single around the ground. It's rather evident that the haflf-centurion is looking to go big quite soon. Over 12: More spin, with Ojha into the attack. He starts off well, restricting the batsman to a couple of single and a leg bye, before Ganguly gets ahold of a wide-ish delivery and slashes it away on the off side for a boundary. A prod through the on side brings him another single and keeps an anticipant Hussey off strike once more. Over 11: Finally, the breakthrough for the Deccan Chargers as Chopra manages to run himself out at the striker's end; a direct hit from Herschelle Gibbs doing the job. Hussey comes to the crease and gets off the mark instantly with two runs to the leg side. The rest of the over is fairly untheatrical as Ganguly is all defence, picking up a single off the last ball to keep the strike for the next over. Over 10: Bangar is into the attack and almost has Ganguly caught at mid wicket; but the ball falls short of the fielder and a single accrues. Chopra is tired of playing second fiddle for the moment, and picks up consecutive boundaries past the short fine-leg fielder. Bangar recovers well and finishes up the over with a series of dot balls. At the halfway mark Kolkata 73 for one. Over 9: It's time for some spin, with Rao onto bowl. Bar a leg-side wide, it's a rather good over from the spinner who concedes just five runs off it. Ganguly edges closer to his half-ton with a couple of singles while his batting partner continues to play the anchor role with a couple of singles of his own. Over 8: Chopra again hands the strike over to his captain who sees the vacant long-on region and mows a half volley there for a once-bounce four; the team 50 comes up in the process. Singh is livid and responds with a couple of deliveries that Ganguly fails to get off the square. A wide is followed by some sloppy fielding at mid-on; two more runs. the final delivery sees a single taken to the man at extra cover. Over 7: Chopra wisely feeds the strike to his senior partner who cleverly crafts a four past the fine-leg fielder up in the circle. The rest of Styris' second over is pretty decent stuff as he mixes his pace well, and keeps Ganguly's boundary-hitting crusade quiet for the moment; the visiting captain is in ominuous form this fine Sunday. Over 6: Left-arm seamer Singh is into the attack. Ganguly adapts his approach to the new angle for a couple of dot balls before superbly timing a drive off a full delivery for four. He then picks up a single, afterwhich Chopra gets in on the act with a flick through square leg for a boundary; the outfield is lightning fast. Chopra keeps the strike with a single off the lst ball of a poor opening over from Singh. Over 5: It's the first change of bowling for the day, with old-timer Styris into the attack. The Kiwi all-rounder keeps Ganguly pinned down for a couple of deliveries before a flick past the short fineleg fielder eases the pressure with a four. Styris continues to offer very little pace as Ganguly is all defence. The series of dot balls takes its toll as sensational Sourav tries to pull but top edges to the mid-off region. The ball falls in no man's land but a direct hit almost brings an end to the captain's knock. Alas, the third umpire's decision reveals he lives to fight on. Over 4: Ganguly is in full swing now as, after a couple of dot balls, he drives on the up over cover for four. He then beats the diving mid-off fielder and gathers a mis-timed boundary. A miscued cut brings him a scampered single, leaving Chopra to see out the rest of the over. Over 3: It's pretty quiet going for the first half of the over with just two singles accrued. Ganguly isn't content with such a poor run rate so he dances down the wicket and bangs Vaas to the long-on fence for four. The next delivery brings another boundary as the Kolkata captain paddles a leg-side ball to the fine-leg ropes. A single to the covers ends a fruitful over for the batting side. Over 2: Vijaykumar will share the new ball with Vaas. His line and length is right on the money and keeps Chopra on nought for three balls before being pushed onto the off side for one. Ganguly deals with some steep bounce before picking up a run down to third man to end an economical first over for the Chargers' strike bowler. Over 1: Butt and Chopra will open the batting for Kolkata, with Vaas to take the new ball for the Chargers. The Sri Lankan paceman, as usual, persists with a line just outside off stump and beats Butt on occasion before being slashed to the third-man fence for the first four of the day. However, the next ball is that much closer to the Pakistani opener who edges through to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Ganguly is the next man in. The former skipper gets off the mark, driving for two through the cover area. Vaas replaces Afridi in the Deccan Chargers team, while Butt comes in for Brad Hodge in the Kolkata starting XI.
Teams: News from the centre reveals Kolkata skipper Sourav Ganguly has won the toss and opted to wield the willow first. Remember, straight after this game we head to Jaipur where the Rajasthan Royals take on the Delhi Daredevils. Good day and welcome to game 32 of the thrilling Indian Premier League between the Deccan Chargers and the Kolkata Knight Riders. We will have team and toss news as soon as the captains have done their thing out in the middle.
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