Images: Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers

Delhi Daredevils' captain Dinesh Karthik took the unconventional route and handed the ball to leg-spinner Amit Mishra to open the bowling.

The move paid off as Mishra struck in the first over when he bowled Mohnish Mishra for 1 beating his defences with a googly that turned in sharply.

Herschelle Gibbs (31 off 26) came in at No 3 and played a useful hand with captain Adam Gilchrist. as they compensated for the loss of the early wicket.

Gibbs was particuarly harsh on Dirk Nannes, whom he slapped for 14 runs in the second over, courtesy a six and two boundaries.

Gilchrist treated the spinners with disdain and went about his business in his usual attacking style. Off-spinner Yogesh Nagar and leg-spinner Sarabjit Ladda were victims of Gilchrist's big-hitting.

Gichrist welcomed Ladda by slamming his third ball over midwicket for a six, while the next delivery was swept fine on the leg side for a boundary.

Ladda, however then got his revenge when Gilchrist top-edged a delivery right into the hands of 'keeper Karthik.

Gibbs asserted his dominance as he made Nannes his sole target and slammed him for a huge six off his second over to take the Chargers' score to 71 for two after nine overs.

After hitting two fours and as many sixes to pile up 31 runs, Gibbs was later scalped by Nagar after a well executed diving catch by  Moises Henriques.

Andrew Symonds, who came to the middle at the fall of Gilchrist's wicket, started off on a cautious note.

But once he got a feel of the ball he was off like a rocket. He started by hitting Ladda into the stands. He played a smart game and stole the ones and twos with ease. He later added to his tally by hitting the big ones to the fences and within no time he had accumulated 35 runs off 24 deliveries.

He put on a 31-run partnership with Rohit Sharma before being being caught by AB de Villiers in the covers off the bowling of Henriques. At this point the Chargers were down to 103 for 4.

Rohit Sharma's onslaught saw Deccan hit 56 runs in the last five overs, while losing two wickets.

Sharma provided the momentum towards the end when he pulled Umesh Yadav for a six over square leg. He then guided a full delivery through point for a boundary, while T Suman added one more six in the over as he cleared the long-off boundary as Deccan reached 142 for four after 17 overs.

Rohit then smashed Henriques for two big sixes, in the 18th over, to race to 39 from 27 balls.

But Nannes then got the better of Rohit, who was caught by De Villiers at long-off after he scored a quick 45 from 30 balls, laced with three sixes and three fours.

T Suman finished unbeaten on 29 from 19 balls as Deccan finished on 171 for six in their 20 overs.

David Warner had given Delhi a blazing start as he slammed 57 from 33 balls, hitting four boundaries and four sixes, before he was run out.

He got into the thick of the action in the opening over itself, as he hit two boundaries off Chaminda Vaas.

He continued his mauling, RP was at the receiving end this time. RP was hammered for 2 fours and as many sixes as  the Daredevils raced to 29 from 2 overs.

Pragyan Ojha, who was introduced in the fourth over, picked the wicket of Virender Sehwag for 3 and saw Delhi lose their first wicket for 34.

Sehwag's wicket didn't deter Warner who continued to go after the bowling and completed his fifty in style off just 25 deliveries when he lofted Ojha for a six over long-on, in the ninth over.

At the halfway stage, Delhi were well placed on 85 for one, needing another 87 from the remaining ten overs.

Just when it looked Delhi were having it easy, they gave a wicket away. Warner was run-out after a quick knock of 57 from 33 balls that was laced with four boundaries and four sixes. Leg-spinner Rahul Sharma then gave Deccan a huge lift when he picked AB de Villiers (27 from 26 balls)  Mithun Manhas in successive overs.

With 56 needed from the last five overs, Karthik decided to take the attacking route. He swept Ojha for a huge six over midwicket and Moises Henriques cut the final delivery for a boundary for 15 runs from that over.

Karthik was brutal on inexperienced Sharma who was taken to the cleaners in the eighteenth over. Karthik slammed 17 runs off it, hitting 2 boundaries and a six.

With 20 needing off 2 overs, Karthik had to play smartly, especially after losing Henriques to Symonds in the previous over.

Symonds turned the game on its head when he took two wickets in his final over, while giving away just six runs.

Symonds' first delivery was hit for a boundary by Karthik through the thirdman region. But Symonds took a brilliant catch off his bowling to send back Karthik for a cracking innings of 46 from 27 balls.

Amit Mishra was caught behind off the first ball he faced as Symonds finished with three for 21 in four overs, to leave Delhi to get 14 from the last over.

Vaas, who bowled the final over clean bowled Yogesh Nagar for 1. The very next delivery Sarabjit Ladda was run out for a duck by a direct hit from Vaas at the non-striker's end.

Delhi Daredevils finished on 161 for nine in their 20 overs to lose the match by 10 runs.