Clangers, idea shots and a deserving pat on the back

Kumar Sangakkara would have warmed the hearts of the Chennai gully cricketers in the third over of the game. When Aavishkar Salvi pinged the corridor outside off, Sangakkara decided rather to let it go. Even as he tried to shoulder arms the ball hit the bat and ran to the right of the keeper. If it was played in Chennai, the crowd would have shouted, "Idea shot, Machan!"

Sometimes, it's better not to get inspired. Kumar Sangakkara unfurled several peachy on-the-up shots over mid-off and mid-on and his partner Shikhar Dhawan was inspired. When Ajit Agarkar hurled a good-length delivery, Dhawan tried to punch it on the up and over mid-on, just like his captain. Alas, the ball only made contact with the top half of the bat and lobbed gently to mid-on.

It was the over that turned the tide for Deccan Chargers but it could well have been the over that did it for Delhi Daredevils. Blame Yogesh Nagar. He got both JP Duminy and Daniel Christian to hole out, but on each occasion the third umpire confirmed the on-field umpire's suspicion that it was a no-ball. Nagar leaked 20 runs in that over and Deccan seized the momentum.

In the 10th over, Virender Sehwag, on 54 then, sliced Amit Mishra to sweeper cover and the substitute fielder Ankit Sharma got under it. The match should have been over there. Deccan would have won and Delhi would have been buried, but Ankit got the yips and dropped the catch and the game.

Sehwag gave another chance when he was on 70. Mishra was again the unlucky bowler. Sehwag clattered on to the right of long-off where Ravi Teja couldn't hold on. Mishra turned red, Teja winced and Deccan sank.

When Dale Steyn dismissed Sehwag, he didn't scream. He didn't pump his fists. He didn't even smile. Instead, he walked across and patted Sehwag on the back for the special boy-on-the-burning-deck knock.