Indian Premier League, 2008-09
Wisden's review of Royal Challengers Bangalore v Deccan Chargers, Indian Premier League, 2008-09
Nagraj Gollapudi
15-Apr-2010
At Centurion, May 21, 2009 (floodlit). Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 12 runs. Toss: Royal
Challengers Bangalore. Royal Challengers Bangalore 170-4 (20 overs) (M. K. Pandey 114*);
Deccan Chargers 158-6 (20 overs) (H. H. Gibbs 60). Royal Challengers Bangalore 2 pts. Man of
the Match: M. K. Pandey.
Manish Pandey made the final league game special by becoming the first Indian to make a century
in the IPL - it was the second hundred of this tournament, after A. B. de Villiers's earlier one for
Delhi, and the eighth overall in the IPL's two seasons. Pandey, a 19-year-old from Karnataka,
started uncertainly and was dropped early on by R. P. Singh, but he came into his own after a few
streaky shots to swat, cut, sweep and caress the bowlers to all parts. He finished with ten fours and
four sixes from 73 balls. In reply, Gibbs made 60 from 43 balls, but the Chargers were rarely in the
hunt, although their consolation was qualification for the semis, ahead of Punjab on run-rate.