Centurion, May 7 (IANS) Rohit Sharma's hat trick ended Deccan Chargers' losing streak in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a comprehensive 19-run win over Mumbai Indians at SuperSport Park here Wednesday.
Mumbai Indians bowled well to restrict Deccan Chargers to 145. Sharma was the savior with the bat, too, scoring 38 runs to help Chargers recover from a top-order collapse.
Sharma then returned startling bowling figures of 2-0-6-4, dashing the hopes of J.P Duminy, who scored a fighting 52 but once again failed to finish the match. Mumbai Indians could only reach 126 for eight in their 20 overs.
With this win, Deccan Chargers, who had lost three matches in a row after winning the first four, jumped back to the second spot with 10 points.
Mumbai Indians were down at seventh position with just three wins from eight games.
Chargers started their defense of the small total with R.P. Singh dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar cheaply off successive balls in the second over.
Pinal Shah (29) and Duminy (52) pulled the team back with a 53-run stand, but the partnership was broken by Tirumalsetti Suman, who removed Shah.
Dwayne Bravo scored 13 runs and looked good in the company of Duminy, but Suman took him out with Ryan Harris holding on to a brilliant catch.
Mumbai Indians' batsmen then went blindly for the shots and Sharma capitalised with his off-spinners.
Sharma bowled Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh, both of whom attempted sweep only to drag the ball onto the stumps, in the last two balls of the 16th over.
Sharma had danger man Duminy caught by wicketkeeper Gilchrist in the next over to complete his hat trick.
Sharma's fourth wicket came with Saurabh Tiwary being stumped by Gilchrist in the same over.
Earlier, Deccan Chargers were once again rocked by their top-order failure. Chargers' top-order have suddenly lost their touch.
The Mumbai Indians' pace attack gave them the right start with their two new inclusions, Dhawal Kulkarni and Rohan Raje, bowling impressing spells.
Gilchrist (25 off 29) started with a four in the first over before Kulkarni dismissed Gibbs in the next over.
Suman hit two sixes off Harbhajan Singh but was out to Dwayne Bravo while attempting another.
Rohan Raje rattled Gilchrist's stumps. Dwayne Smith soon followed as Chargers were reduced to 85 for four.
Sharma and Venugopal Rao (28) saw the team to a decent total with some lusty blows in the end.
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