Warne scalps four inspiring Royals to an incredible win

The buzz was clearly missing —the 45,000-capacity Vidharbha Cricket Association stadium was barely half full—but defending champions Deccan Chargers, and their opponents, the Rajasthan Royals, could not have cared less, given that they were languishing near the bottom of the table.

Having lost four games in a row, the Chargers needed to take some drastic steps.

They did, making five changes, so much so that captain Adam Gilchrist could not remember the changes at the toss.

But even the wholesale changes bore no fruit as a dismal batting performance put paid to their hopes of arresting the slide.

Having restricted the Royals to 159, the Chargers looked set for their fourth win of the tournament before their batting collapsed under pressure.

The hosts (Deccan were hosts in a manner of speaking) were comfortably placed at 86 for 2 from 10 overs but a combination of some good bowling and bad shot selection saw them throw away the advantage.

Rohit Sharma waged a lone battle at one end while wickets continue to tumble at the other, but needing just six off the last over with three wickets in hand, the Chargers were done in by some poor cricketing decisions at the end.

Earlier, the Royals rode on Shane Watson's half century to take them to a respectable total. The Australian was dropped when on eight and made the Chargers pay with a 36-ball 58.

The team was tottering at 17 for 2 when Watson walked in to bat. Michael Lumb failed to capitalise on the life granted to him by Harris, when he twice juggled the return catch before grassing it off his bowling with Royals yet to score a run.