Skipper Adam Gilchrist's breezy 35-ball 54 went in vain as defending champions Deccan Chargers suffered a 11-run defeat at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of the third edition of Indian Premier League on Friday.

After Angelo Mathews (65no) and Owais Shah (58no) struck unbeaten half-centuries to rescue Knight Riders from a dismal start and steered them to a fighting 161 for four, the Sourav Ganguly-led side restricted Deccan to 150 for seven at the floodlit DY Patil Stadium.