Rajasthan Royals moved top of the Indian Premier League with a five-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in Jaipur on Tuesday.
Chasing 197 to win, the Royals started well as captain Rahul Dravid (42) put on 62 with Ajinkya Rahane (44), but wickets from the Chargers spinner Amit Mishra, who took three for 32, pegged them back in the middle overs.
England's Owais Shah scored just 12 but Brad Hodge powered his way to an unbeaten 48 in just 21 balls alongside Ashok Menaria (22) to help Rajasthan score 74 in the last six overs.
Hodge's six boundaries and two sixes were backed by some late hitting from Johan Botha (14) and Dishant Yagnik (nine not out), and saw the Royals complete the chase with just two balls left.
The Chargers were earlier thankful to a 94-run opening stand between skipper Kumar Sangakkara (44) and Shikhar Dhawan (52) that was broken by Hodge halfway through the innings.
Dhawan fell soon after, caught by Hodge off Siddharth Trivedi, but the scoring was taken over by JP Duminy (58 off 26) and Daniel Christian (29 off 19). The duo combined for 88 runs, as Duminy smashed five sixes including a final over that yielded 18 off Amit Singh.
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