Hyderabad: Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh struck 75 off 48 balls (8x4, 3x6) to set up the visitors' 25-run win over Team Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Importantly, the win pushed Punjab to fifth spot and kept them in contention for a place in the knockouts.

Chasing 171 for a win, the hosts needed a solid start but the batsmen failed to rise to the occasion as Hyderabad put in a shoddy display to crash to their ninth defeat in 12 games.

Medium-pacer Praveen Kumar thwarted the hosts' hopes by removing in-form Shikhar Dhawan (8) -- caught at slip by Azhar Mahmood -- and Parvinder Awana uprooted Parthiv Patel's (17) stumps to reduce Hyderabad to 31 for two.

Daniel Harris tried to undo the damage with some lusty blows. The strategy seemed to work as Hyderabad looked on course to make a fight of the game as they raced away to 70/2 in 10 overs.

It was then that Punjab skipper David Hussey produced a magical over, giving away two runs and bagging two wickets. His decision to bring himself on paid dividends as he sent back Harris (30; 29b, 2x4, 1x6) and dangerman Cameroon White (8) in the space of four balls.

Praveen then packed off skipper Kumar Sangakkara (4) to reduce the hosts to 74/5 and it seemed all over for Hyderabad, who finished at 145/8.

Earlier, put in to bat, Punjab made a blazing start with openers Mandeep and Shaun Marsh adding 50 for the first wicket off 33 balls. Mandeep took on Veer Pratap Singh in the second over, hitting him for two fours and a six as the Hyderabad medium pacer conceded 18.

Brief scores
Kings XI Punjab 170 for 5 (Mandeep 75, Ashish Reddy 2-31)
Deccan Chargers 145 for 8 (Harris 30, Hussey 2-2, Praveen 2-15, Awana 2-27)
Result Kings XI Punjab won by 25 runs
MOM Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)
Points Kings XI Punjab 2, Deccan Chargers 0