Photographs: IPL/Getty Images
Adam Gilchrist gave Deccan Chargers a blazing start, smashing 33 from just 12 balls, after Kings XI Punjab captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to field.
He hit four boundaries and two sixes before he was caught at square leg by Mahela Jayawardene off pacer Shalabh Srivastava.
Andrew Symonds turned in an all-round show as Deccan Chargers beat Kings XI Punjab by six runs.
Jayawardene halts Gilly's charge
Left-armer Shalabh Srivastava was given rough treatment as Gilchrist pulled him for back-to-back boundaries through midwicket.
But Srivastava got his revenge when Gilchrist attempted another big shot and Jayawardene brought off a smart catch.
Laxman checked in his stride
The champions suffered another big blow when VVS Laxman (10) had to retire hurt after being struck on the right arm by Srivastava's wild throw from mid-off as he went for a quick single, in the fourth over.
Rohit Sharma just short
Kings XI pegged the Chargers back with a sterling fightback that saw them claim three wickets in the space of two overs.
Herschelle Gibbs, who scored 23 from as many deliveries, tried to heave Yuvraj Singh through midwicket but missed and was bowled.
Three deliveries later, Rohit Sharma went for a quick single but Jayawardene at the point region caught him short at the bowler's end with a direct hit.
Symonds solid and sure
Andrew Symonds started off with a streaky boundary, an inside edge going past the stumps through fine leg against Srivastava, in the fifth over.
But he soon settled down and Sreesanth bore the brunt of his fury. The Australian all-rounder sent a slower delivery from the bowler over long-on for a six, and followed it up with two successive boundaries through fine leg to take Deccan Chargers to 100 for one after ten overs
Symonds completed his half-century from 34 deliveries with two runs on the leg side off Chawla, in the 16th over.
Kings hopes end with Sangakkara
Ravi Bopara got the Kings XI innings off in style, driving a full delivery from Vaas through the covers for a boundary. The second ball also fetched the same result, but this time Bopara was lucky that his inside edge just missed the stumps and flew wide of wicketkeeper Gilchrist.
Manvinder Bisla was run-out for a seven-ball duck as he attempted a quick single; Suman's direct hit from point caught him short.
In the same over, Vaas got the better of Punjab captain Kumar Sangakkara, bowling him through the gate for a duck.
Yuvraj goes, Chargers celebrate
Yuvraj Singh got off the mark by flicking Vaas over midwicket. But Sri Lankan pacer Vaas had the last laugh.
The left-hander tried another big shot but failed to connect and lobbed a simple high catch to the cover fielder. He was dismissed for four as Punjab were reduced to 22 for three after five overs.
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