Deccan Chargers made it into the Indian Premier League semifinals with a tight 11-run win over Delhi Daredevils at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi last night.
Paul Collingwood tried in vain to get Delhi to a victory but the wily Chaminda Vaas bowled a superb final over to shut down the home side to 134-7 in 20 overs after the Chargers had made 145-7.
The Englishman thrived on three lives to score 51 off 42 balls and shared a fighting 48-run eighth wicket stand with Ashish Nehra but the pair failed to see them home.
Harmeet Singh and Pragyan Ojha took two wickets each.
Earlier, Andrew Symonds smashed five sixes and three boundaries in a sizzling 30-ball 54. Opener Monish Mishra scored 25 off 19 balls that included two fours and a six.
The big Queenslander shared a 50-run fifth wicket partnership with Mitchell Marsh of which 41 belonged to Symonds. After his dismissal though, the Chargers did not take full toll of the last five overs.
For the home side, pacemen Nehra and Umesh Yadav picked up two wickets each.
SCORES IN BRIEF
DECCAN CHARGERS: 145-7 in 20 overs (Symonds 54, Mishra 25; Nehra 2-32, Yadav 2-24).
DELHI DAREDEVILS: 134-7 in 20 overs (Collingwood 51*, Manhas 23; Ojha 2-16, Harmeet 2-41).
Result: Deccan Chargers won by 11 runs.