CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – Manish Pandey  smashed the highest score of the Indian Premier League season as  his unbeaten 114 helped Bangalore Royal Challengers to a 12-run  win over Deccan Chargers and third place in the table.

The Delhi Daredevils secured first place in the standings  with a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians on the final day  of round-robin action yesterday.

Pandey was called on to open the batting for the first time  in the IPL and the 19-year-old smashed the ball all over  Centurion in just the second century of the season.

His 114 not out off 73 balls led Bangalore to 170 for four.
Rudra Pratap Singh, who holds the Purple Cap for taking the  most wickets in the competition, dropped Pandey on two and then  bowled a terrible final over for Deccan, conceding 23 runs.

Herschelle Gibbs ensured Deccan were initially up with the  required run rate as he blasted 60
But spinner Balachandra Akhil, who had earlier winkled out  Adam Gilchrist (15), dismissed the South African at the start of  the 15th over with the help of a fine running catch by Pandey on  the midwicket boundary.

Akhil finished with two for 18 in four overs, while  experienced leg-spinner Anil Kumble claimed two for 23 as  Bangalore restricted  Deccan to 158 for six.

They will now play the second placed Chennai Super Kings in  Saturday’s semi-final in Johannesburg.
Deccan ended fourth on 14 points, edging the Punjab Kings XI  out of the semi-finals by virtue of a better run rate and will  face Delhi Daredevils in the semis.

Delhi continued to sweep all before them as they powered to  their 10th victory of the round-robin stages, overwhelming the  Mumbai Indians by four wickets with 15 balls to spare.

Despite Mumbai off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claiming four for  nine in two overs at the death, Delhi chased down a target of  166 with ease after Indian openers Gautam Gambhir (47) and  Virender Sehwag (50) had terrorised the bowlers with a  second-wicket stand of 68 off 48 balls.

Sehwag’s return to form heading into the semi-finals was  particularly pleasing for Delhi and the captain teared into the  bowling as he hammered five fours and two sixes in his  half-century.

Harbhajan claimed two wickets with successive deliveries in  both the 15th and 17th overs, but it caused just a minor wobble  in the Delhi innings.

Delhi pacemen Dirk Nannes (three for 27), Aavishkar Salvi  and Pradeep Sangwan had earlier bowled consistent four-over  stints to restrict Mumbai to 165 for eight.

But the spinners let Delhi down and Mumbai’s favourite son,  Sachin Tendulkar (46), and  Ajinkya Rahane (56) scored freely in  a stand of 73 off 57 balls for the fourth wicket, although it  was to no avail in the end.