The 37-year-old Gilchrist, leading the Deccan Chargers after retiring from international cricket last year, blazed 44 off 19 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.

Gibbs remained unbeaten on 69 with six fours and two sixes to continue his side's impressive run this year. The Chargers had finished at the bottom of the table in last year's inaugural tournament.

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Chennai, finalists last year, now have just one win from five matches with three defeats and one rained-off game.

Chennai's innings revolved around two whirlwind knocks from left-handed veterans Matthew Hayden of Australia and Jacob Oram of New Zealand.

Hayden, who quit official cricket in January, hit 49 off 35 balls to remain the tournament's leading scorer with 215 runs in five innings.

Hayden put on 64 in 39 balls for the second wicket with Suresh Raina (25) and 38 for the third with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (22) after Parthiv Patel had fallen in the first over.

Oram, who replaced England's injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, smashed an unbeaten 41 off 29 balls with four boundaries and two sixes.

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