THE MEGA-FINALS - Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Superkings

The two best teams in the inaugural DLF IPL will be going head-to-head in what promises to be a mouth-watering, heart-stopping climax. Don't go by the one-sided matches in the semi-finals ! Just think back to the last time these two great teams met in Chennai to remember what a superb game of cricket it was. Here's to a repeat of such a game - with one key difference - the end result !!!

Not only are these the two best teams - they are also the two best-led teams. Warne and Dhoni are the two magicians who will conduct the show. It's one of India's most charismatic and successful limited-overs captain against arguably the greatest captain the World never had !

Teams
Rajasthan have truly been a great team - a worthy opponent to face in the finals - unlike say, Punjab, who were more pretenders than anything else. They have given us some wonderful cricket, some delightful memories - the way Shane Warne has led this team has been simply inspiring.

Strengths - Batting order with well-defined roles, Tanvir, Warne, Watson - the best all-rounder
Weaknesses - Will miss Smith, Perhaps the seamers to backup Tanvir and Watson ?

Chennai - we have displayed the one great trait of a champion side - the ability to lift our game when it matters most. We peaked at the start of the tournament, went through a bit of a lean patch but are just beginning to bring our best at the climax. You can rely on the captaincy of Dhoni to handle situations like these.

Strengths - Raina striking some serious form, Dhoni, Morkel - an all-rounder not quite as good as Watson, but a fair competitor, Ntini striking form, Gony
Weaknesses - Opening - remains the Achille's heel of our team, back-up bowling.

League Record 2-0 in favor of the Royals
First game we were blown off by the Sohail-storm, but in the home game we gave a memorable fight. However, Watson did not play that game. But the main backbone of the batting in that game Graeme Smith is out injured, so that could be a huge bonus

Royal Contests
Akmal v Ntini
Asnodkar v Gony
Watson v Morkel
Yusuf v Murali
Raina v Tanvir
Dhoni v Warne

So let's get the party started ! Bring out your drinks, put out your tents and start pouring in your rants and opinions on this mega-blockbuster !

Second Semifinal - King's X1 Punjab v Chennai Superkings - Preview

Today it is. Do or die day. No more second chances, no more bothering about tables and run-rates and the like. On the opposite side is our favorite opponent - King's X1 Punjab - a team that we like to beat and hold some grudge against. Also a team that is on the up, and supremely confident, a bit too confident if you like. At stake, is a chance to contest in the finals of the inaugural DLF IPL Final !

Favorites ?
What a question !

League Record: 2-0 in favor of Super Kings
In the first game, we totally annihilated them - but those were different days as we had Mike Hussey with us. But more encouragingly we had a very good win in the return game also, despite Shaun Marsh batting well. It seemed Dhoni Raina and Badrinath relished taking on the all Indian bowling attack and then Balaji sealed it off with a super-spell !

Teams
Punjab
Strengths - Shaun Marsh, Sangakarra
Weaknesses - Yuvraj, dicey lower-middle order, part of the bowling can be tonked around

Chennai
Strengths - Key players are beginning to show form (Raina, Morkel, Dhoni, Gony, Murali)
Weaknesses - Opening combination, Backup bowling, below par performances by Ntini and Murali

Royal Contests
Marsh v Gony
Sangakarra v Murali
Raina v Chawla
Dhoni v Irfan

First Semifinal - Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils Preview

It's the first knockout. No more second chances. No more opportunities for revenge or comebacks. One of the Royals and the Daredevils will be going home disappointed tonight and the other will be readying for the mega-finals on Saturday.

Favorites ?
I would like to see Rajasthan in the finals - because I believe they are by some distance the better team, although possibly Delhi might be the preferable opponent for us if we go through tomorrow. I do think Rajasthan have the edge despite their loss in the last league game.

League Record 1-1
Delhi had beaten Rajasthan on the second day of the championship at home when Warne's men were yet to get things in order and were written off by all as minnows. However, Warnie returned with interest in the home game - a comprehensive win for the Royals.

Teams
Delhi
Strengths - Top order, McGrath, Fielding
Weaknesses - Middle order, Backup bowling (esp. fifth bowler)

Rajasthan
Strengths - Versatile, well-oiled batting, Warne - bowler and captain, Tanvir - best bowler of the series, Watson
Weaknesses - Some of the players rely a lot on Warne's captaincy, these could be individually targeted.

Royal Contests
Smith v McGrath
Yusuf v Mishra
Gambhir v Tanvir
Sehwag v Warne

King's X1 Punjab v Rajasthan Royals - Preview

A dress rehearsal for the finals ? Hopefully not, as a Chennai supporter, but that is how this match is being touted elsewhere. Regardless, this is bound to be a compelling game between two of the best teams in the Championship.

Royals won the battle last time around when both teams were going in having lost their first games and under severe pressure. That was the time when the Royals were already being written off for having such a "weak" team while the captaincy abilities of Yuvraj Singh were being severely questioned.

As we come to the last league game of the inaugural DLF IPL how these self-proclaimed pundits have been left embarrassed. Well, expect a high-voltage clash to round off.

Teams
Rajasthan - Smith missed the last game - is he fit enough to be back ? If he is will Akmal miss out or will the unbelievable Tanvir be rested ?

Punjab - It is important to get Sangakkara firing on all cylinders. So also Yuvraj, but I seriously doubt if he can turn it all around at this stage.

Revenge Battles
Hopes v Warne
Trivedi v Sangakkara
Sangakkara v Warne
Jayawardene v Salunkhe
Watson v Yuvraj
Yuvraj v Warne
Salunkhe v Yuvraj
Pankaj v Yuvraj
Yusuf v Yuvraj
Irfan v Trivedi
Warne v Irfan
Watson v Chawla
Kaif v Sreesanth
Akmal v Hopes
Sreesanth v Watson
Hopes v Watson
Chawla v Watson
Sreesanth v Jadeja
Chawla v Jadeja

Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings - Preview

It has all boiled down to this. Match 54 of DLF IPL 2008 which could decide the fate of Chennai Super Kings, our Chennai Super Kings once and for all - a win here would straightaway put us in the semifinals that too at the No. 3 spot. Defeat would still not mean the end of the road but we would have to rely on a resurgent Bangalore team beating a messy Mumbai the day after.

If we are to hold our destiny in our own hands the task definition is simple - beat Deccan Chargers the team guaranteed to end up at the bottom of the table. When we met them at home earlier, we came up with one of our most disappointing batting shows to concede the advantage and that has kind of put us in the situation we are in today. That win was one of the few high points for the Deccan Chargers. They haven't managed another win in 6 games after that, but Chennai has also been very inconsistent, winning 3 and losing the other 3.

As the table stands Chennai are still in the 4th position with 14 points but face the only challenge from Mumbai who are sixth with 12 and have a game in hand as also a much superior run-rate. The presence of Gilchrist and the law of averages, as also memories of last time's defeat makes tomorrow's game tricky for the Super Kings. Dhoni really needs to be on top of his game to pull it off here.

Teams
Super Kings - The batting looks fairly well-settled - possibly Viduyt could come back in place of Abhinav Mukund, the bowling as per Dhoni is also well settled, but problematically completely fell apart in the last game. So the question is whether to stick to this attack or bring in someone out of the blue - Palani Amarnath might not be a bad choice in the situation.

For the Chargers, expect to see Chamara Silva make way for the return of either Afridi or Styris. Ojha, who had tied up Dhoni so well last time is also likely to make a return.

In all seriousness I feel the only man who can stand between Chennai and a semifinals slot is Adam Gilchrist. Get him quick and romp into the semifinals ! Good Luck Chennai !

Revenge Battles
Patel v Vijay (Vijay)
Fleming v Styris (Styris)
Raina v Afridi (Raina)
Raina v Bangar (Bangar)
Badri v Afridi (Afridi)
Dhoni v Ojha (Ojha)
Morkel v Ojha (Morkel)
Gilchrist v Ntini (Gilchrist)
Gilchrist v Morkel (Morkel)
Gibbs v Gony (Gony)

Battle-e-Royale

It will be after 4 years that the great magician Shane Warne will be taking on the player he ranks the best he has ever faced in a battle of any format. This has to be the star attraction in a game that is nevertheless critical for the survival of 3 teams in the IPL !

Shane Warne's Royals are not one of them - they are safely through and most likely assured of the No. 1 spot. But Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai cannot afford to put a foot wrong from here on - defeat here would not mean the end of the World but it would mean that they would have to rely on last placed Deccan to put it past Dhoni's men in the game tomorrow.

Chennai and Delhi will also be keenly watching the result of this game.

Teams
Graeme Smith's absence would be a huge plus for the Indians, but Watson might be back to make a difference with bat and ball. Akmal is striking great form for the Royals too, and the little dynamite Asnodkar is as dangerous as ever. Of course you cannot forget Sohail Tanvir the most dangerous bowler in the IPL so far, alongwith Warne himself.

For Mumbai their success against the Royals in their last game came largely on the basis of their good bowling launched on the performance of the great Shaun Pollock. But he has been a bit off the boil lately and suffering from some niggles. Mumbai must hope that he comes good. As also that Warne's presence in the opposition inspires the Little Master to come back with something special. Otherwise an in-form Jayasuriya might just not be enough given that the team is packed with lazy baby elephants like Uthappa.

Revenge Battles
Asnodkar v Raje (Raje)
Yusuf v Nehra (Nehra)
Watson v Jayasuriya (Tie)
Kaif v Raje (Raje)
Uthappa v Watson (Uthappa)
Uthappa v Warne (Uthappa)

A Meaningless Match ?

The last time these two teams met both had all to play for - Kolkata wanted to arrest a run of 3 consecutive defeats, while King's X1 were only just beginning their ascent. As Buchanan has said, their goal today is to make sure the King's X1 have some worries going into the semifinals and that says it all.

Teams
Punjab - Sangakarra was back with a bang in the last game and would want to continue, Yuvraj's form is still a worry and I'd like to see Tanmay being given a chance.

Kolkata - Will Shoaib play this meaningless game ? Will Taibu finally get his chance ? I guess it doesn't matter in any which way.

Revenge Battles
Marsh v Dinda (Marsh)
Marsh v Hussey (Hussey)
Hopes v Agarkar (Hopes)
Sangakkara v Gul (Sanga thrashed Gul but Gul got him out)
Yuvraj v Hafeez (Tie)
Jayawardene v Gul (Gul)
Chawla v Ishant (Chawla)
Hafeez v Irfan (Irfan)
Ganguly v Sreesanth (Sreesanth)
Das v Sreesanth (Sreesanth)
Hussey v Gagandeep (Hussey)
Hussey v Hopes (Hussey)
Shukla v VRV (VRV)
Saha v Gagandeep, Hopes, Chawla (Saha)

ANOTHER Battle For The Basement

I see no reason to come up with a different title than I did for this post. As Rajasthan and Punjab look to the semifinals, and Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai fight it out to get there, Bangalore and Hyderabad will once again fight for supremacy at the bottom of the table.

Teams
Bangalore are relying ... oh my God .. would you believe it ? Entirely on Dravid and Kumble to get them through !

Hyderabad - After losing 10 games they continue to remain dangerous purely because of the potential of Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma.

Revenge Battles
Kohli v RP Singh (RP Singh)
Kohli v Ojha (Kohli)
Kallis v Ojha (Ojha)
Misbah v Afridi (Afridi)
Dravid v RP Singh (Dravid)
Dravid v Styris (Dravid)
Boucher v RP Singh (RP Singh)
Praveen v RP Singh (Praveen)
Zaheer v Gilchrist (Zaheer)
Praveen v Gibbs (Praveen)
Rohit v Kumble (Rohit)
Rohit v Kallis (Tie !)
Praveen v Afridi (Praveen)
Zaheer v Styris (Zaheer)

Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians - Preview

Do-or-die - Yet Again !
For Delhi that is. Lose and they are out. Win, and there is a fair chance they could still be out. Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why ... theirs but to ... - as Lord Tennyson would have happily said. Other than that the main attraction of this game is going to be the resumption of battle between the two greats - Glenn McGrath and Sachin Tendulkar !

Teams
Delhi - The middle order has to fire. Will it be Tiwari ? Who wil support McGrath this time ? Mishra could be a key bowler.

Mumbai - Crucial to get back to their winning ways after 1-run defeat to Punjab. Will they continue to show the faith in Uthappa ? Will Kulkarni be back ?

Revenge Battles
Jayasuriya v Yomahesh
Thornely v Bhatia
Uthappa v Sangwan
Nayyar v Sehwag
Pollock v McGrath
Pollock v Yomahesh
Nehra v Gambhir
Pollock v Sehwag
Jayasuriya v Sehwag
Thornely v Sehwag
Nehra v Dhawan
Nehra v Bhatia

Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals - Preview

Cross-posted on Chennai Super Kings

On May 4, in the sands of the Rajasthan desert, a different kind of storm struck. It was in the form of a tiny left-arm fast bowler with a weird action running through the top order of the Chennai Super Kings with a force and guile unmatched. Tomorrow, the battle will resume - the storm will be eager to rebound with a bang - in its path it has destroyed other cities too - and now when it blows down South to Chennai can Dhoni's warriors show the strength to hold their own against it ?

It was around this time that Rajasthan made the leap to the top of the table - and they have managed to hold on to that spot ever since. That was also when Chennai themselves relinquished control over top spot and have been more or less at No. 3 ever since. Rajasthan will be itching to stay on top of course, and continue their momentum. Expect a battle in which fire is fought by fire when these two proud teams take to the field.

Teams
Chennai: Does Parthiv get another chance ? Will Dhoni be fit enough to keep wickets ? Will we get our batting order right ? And more importantly will the batsmen be able to show some sense and cool unlike last time ?

Rajasthan: It seems like everything that Warne touches will turn to gold. If he asks any random player, young or old, Indian or foreign, to do a job for him, the player will do it. What will be interesting is to see how he actually sustains the momentun - and how long can he do it ? After all winning 9 out of your 11 matches should take its toll. It is worth noting that the one match in they failed against Mumbai they did not get a start and lost wickets at regular intervals. We would do well to pick up some hint here. Yusuf Pathan is a major threat. Then of course there is the magician Warne himself - who had completely baffled MSD last time around, and the tiny left-armer Sohail Tanvir.

Revenge Battles
Tanvir v Parthiv
Tanvir v Fleming
Tanvir v Vidyut
Munaf v Raina
Trivedi v Raina
Watson v Badri
Warne v Dhoni
Tanvir v Morkel
Warne v Morkel
Asnodkar v Gony
Asnodkar v VIdyut
Yusuf v Murali
Yusuf v Vidyut
Watson v Vidyut

Note: Tomorrow will be my last day in Chennai. I have had a most memorable stay in Chennai. I shall of course continue to support the Chennai Super Kings after I leave. Today I will be at the stadium for one last time to support my team ! Thanks Chennai ! Go Super Kings !

King's X1 Punjab v Deccan Chargers - Preview

Inspiration ?
The Deccan Chargers need look no further than a few hundred kilometers west for inspiration - Rahul Dravid's team literally came back from the dead to shock a top team and play spoiler and Hyderabad can hope to play the same tomorrow against an increasingly strong King's X1 Team.

With today's washout Yuvi's boys are guaranteed of a semifinal slot, yet they would want to make sure they end up at No. 2 if not the top and will play with full vigor.

Teams
Hyderabad have tried everything and nothing has worked. Expect them to stick to the same lineup as in the last game altho what that guy Das did in the last game I don't quite know. Besides I somehow feel Afridi needs to be dropped and poor Vaas needs to come in.

For the King's X1 this would be an ideal time to experiment. I would like to see Yuvraj promote himself to get a good knock in the middle, as also Jayawardene. Maybe young Tanmay also deserves a knock. Big question - When will Sangakara be fit ?

Revenge Battles (Last time's winners in brackets)
Gilchrist v Pathan (Pathan)
Gibbs v Chawla (Chawla) - Gibbs might not play
Rohit v Sreesanth (Rohit)
Rohit v Irfan (Rohit)
Rohit v Chawla (Rohit)
Rohit v VRV (Rohit)
Rohit v Gagandeep (Rohit) - Gagandeep might not play
Afridi v Gagandeep - (Gagandeep) - Will either play ?
RP Singh v Marsh (Marsh)
Sangakara v Kalyanakrishna (Kalyanakrishna) - Will Sangakara be fit ?
Mahela v Kalyanakrishna (Mahela)

Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders - Preview

Do or Die
Definitely for the Knight Riders. Very crucial game for the Daredevils too but the defeats of Mumbai and Chennai today may have just given them some breathing space and a chance to advance even if they lose tomorrow. However if the last game was any indication Kolkata looked like a totally dispirited and exhausted team, not to mention highly insufficient in the batting department, so it is highly questionable if they can stand up to be counted in this crunch encounter.

Personally I shall be supporting Kolkata, for not only does it help Chennai, it keeps the tournament open for longer.

Teams
The Daredevils will be looking to go in with the same combination except that Mishra might make his way back.

The Knight Riders desperately need Shoaib back. And for God's sake get back Taibu and kick out that good-for-nothing Hafeez !

Revenge Battles
Butt v all bowlers - Butt managed 48, but this was a painstakig innings and never got away, ultimately he was top scorer !
Ganguly v Yomahesh
Hussey v Maharoof
Shukla v Maharoof
Akhtar v Gambhir
Akhtar v Sehwag
Akhtar v Devilliers
Akhtar v Tiwari
Dinda v Dhawan
Mishra v Shukla

Chennai Super Kings v Bangalore Royal Challengers Preview

Don't Relax
The most important message for the team ahead of this game should be to not be complacent. The danger lurks because we are playing the worst team in the competition at home and a win will almost guarantee us a semifinal slot. But there is every chance that Dravid's team by law of averages, if nothing else, might play a decent game and the only prayer is - may that not happen against us !!!

While Dravid's men have nothing to lose, I'm fairly confident that Dhoni will make sure we take this game very seriously. This is where his man-management skill as captain should come into play. For if we guard against that we are far too strong a team for the Royally Challenged to mount any challenge.

Teams
We are just about getting our combination right after the Kolkata game. Ntini coming to form has been a huge shot in the arm for us. Badrinath and Dhoni's good form is of course heartening. Fleming is beginning to find his feet. The only thing now that should give the icing on the cake is a match-winning innings from Raina. That would mean our batting will be firing on all cylinders. I had mentioned that the bowling looked a bit lacklustre in the last game and I hope this will be the game in which Murali picks up a few wickets.

For the Challengers, nothing seems to be working. They have tried out all sorts of players in all sorts of combinations, switched roles, and reswitched them but all in vain. What will be interesting is the performance of the youngsters - Praveen Kumar, Kohli (if he plays) and Goswami - who I believe is a fine talent. Misbah showed some signs of return to form in the last game. Dravid is of course a class act, and Steyn can trouble some of our batters - remember the way he harassed Dhoni in the test match at this very venue in March ?

Revenge Battles
Patel v Zaheer - Patel got off to a brisk start
Patel v Praveen - Praveen got Patel eventually
Raina v Praveen, Akhil - Raina had launced into these bowlers before getting run out
Dhoni v Steyn - OHOHOHOHOHO ... who can forget that memorable assault on Steyn ?
Dhoni v Zaheer - Dhoni didn't spare his own bowler either but Zak got him in the end
Gony v Chipli - Gony got the BRC opener "cheaply"
Gony v Dravid - Gony got the wall first ball !

Also read Robin's review on Chennai Super Kings Fans.

Mumbai Indians v King's X1 Punjab - Preview

Big Game
In all likelihood, it is going to be Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chennai that are going to make it through to the semifinals, and so this one is a big game - it will give us an idea of which team is stronger going into the last 4. Mumbai have a 6-4 record to Punjab's 7-3 but if Mumbai win tomorrow they can level it up and probably go as high as No. 2 on the table. It will be a really unbelievable run of 7 wins after the first 4 losses. Mumbai is the team with all the momentum, but again, one feels they have got to slip at some point and what better team than Punjab to take advantage of that ? Bravo's departure will be a major blow for Mumbai and Punjab will do well to exploit it. However if the Pollock-Jayasuriya combination fires again, there is little that Yuvraj and his men will be able to do.

Punjab's Outstanding Record
King's X1 Punjab have a splendid 7-3 record but somehow I still feel they are not as good a team as their record suggests. Part of the reason for this could be that Chennai has beaten them, quite comfortably, twice. Three of their 7 wins have come against Bangalore and Hyderabad, one against an out-of-form Mumbai, and one - a bit of a lottery against Delhi thanks to Duckworth and Lewis and Sehwag.

Teams
For Mumbai the big question - who will replace Bravo ? They have got Nel and Smith as cover, but Nel is no batter and Smith is no bowler - well, not in the same league as Bravo, anyway. Pollock had a slight niggle - will he be fit enough ? Will Tendulkar find the touch at last ?

For Punjab, what is interesting is whether Sangakarra will be fit - for he will be crucial in negotiating Pollock. Otherwise, the team has a fairly settled look. Interesting to see how Sreesanth goes in this game after what happened the last time the two teams met.

Revenge Battles
Well, the biggest of them is not going to happen, thankfully, because Harbhajan won't be around to take on Sreesanth.
Other than that
Pathan v Nehra
Sangakkra v Pollock, Kulkarni
Yuvraj v Pollock
Sreesanth v Kulkarni
Sreesanth, VRV v Uthappa, Pollock
Pathan v Nayyar

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals - Preview

Must-win for The Riders
Just as today was a must-win for Delhi, so also is tomorrow for Kolkata. The only difference being that Delhi had to do it (and did) against bottom-placed Bangalore, while Kolkata have to do it against the mighty Rajasthan. Additionally Delhi's win puts the pressure on Kolkata all the more. Under normal circumstances I would have given Kolkata a fair chance, mainly because playing at home, is a big advantage for them. But with the batting as poor as it is, I don't think even the most lethal combination of Shoaib Akhtar and the Eden factor will be able to bail them out.

Rajasthan Away From Home ?
Warnie's team boast a splendid 8-2 record but when you split it it reads 6-0 at home, and 2-2 away. Tomorrow should be a tester for bigger away battles to come - against Chennai and Punjab as well as the home game against Mumbai.

Teams
For Kolkata I don't see how they can get the batting in order - the only hope I see is if Taibu plays and plays a major role. The injury scare to Shoaib will weaken the bowling as well. Will be interesting to see if they draft in the mysterious Mendis straight away.

For Rajasthan, they are spoilt for choices really. I would like to see Kaif bat high up and play an important role.

Revenge Battles
Warne v Ganguly - how can we forget the controversial incidents in the last game ?
Smith v Sharma - Sharma got him early last time
Asnodkar v Sharma, Agarkar - Asnodkar devastated these
Asnodkar v Gul - Gul was the one who got Asnodkar in the end
Kaif v Agarkar - Kaif was one of the few failures in that game, caught and bowled Aggie
Pathan v Agarkar, Hussey, Shukla - Pathan followed up Asnodkar in smashing them around
Watson v Gul - first ball duck for Watson albeit with some help from the umpire
Jadeja v Gul, Hussey - Another one who made merry
Jadeja v Shukla - Shukla was the one who got him
Tanvir v Butt - All Paki battle - Tanvir got the better of his teammate last time
Ganguly v Trivedi, Munaf - Ganguly did well against the young pacers
Agarkar v Watson - Watson was the one who got him
Agarkar v Tanvir - smashed him for a 4 and a 6
Hussey v Trivedi - The youngster got Hussey
Hussey v Warne - All Aussie battle, Hussey did manage to get Warne away
Das v Tanvir
Saha v Trivedi

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Delhi Daredevils - Preview

An absolutely crucial game for Delhi if they have to make it to the semifinals without relying on major chunks of luck and help from other sides. This should, however be a farily easy walk in the park. Looking at the way the 11 individual challengers performed on the field the other day (there is no team to speak up), Daredevils have a decent chance to keep their campaign alive and regain some momentum before the crucial games against Mumbai and Kolkata come up.

It will be interesting to see how the Bangalore crowd supports their "team" after the shambles they showed themselves to be. Will they still flock to the stadium ? If they do, one has to truly salute their solidarity and patience. For me, the only thing that will keep me interested in this game is seeing how Rahul Dravid performs.

Teams
For Bangalore it will be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid performs.

For Delhi, the top trio of Gambhir, Sehwag and Dhawan will be key again. They have delivered more often that not yet their brittle middle order has ensured that they have ended up in a precarious position in this competition. McGrath and Mishra will be the key performers with the ball. I would like to see Dilshan being promoted up the order to 4.

Revenge Battles
Gambhir v Steyn, Zaheer, Vinay Kumar and Kallis - GG thrashed all before getting out to Zak, who can forget his run-in with Kallis ?
Sehwag v Zaheer - Sehwag really took to Zak early
Dhawan v Vinay Kumar and Kallis
Malik v Steyn - Steyn uprooted his stump last time
Karthik v Kallis - Kallis destroyed his stumps last time
McGrath v Praveen - Old fox completely got the better of the young turk
Asif v Kallis - Asif was taken to the cleaners last time
McGrath v Dravid - Got him the first ball he bowled to Dravid
Sehwag v Boucher - Boucher thrashed him towards the end, in vain though

Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians - Match Preview

It must be difficult getting up to play after 8 defeats, but that is exactly what the Chargers will have to attempt to do tomorrow. Mumbai are on a roll and are massive favorites, plus they take on an opponent that won't necessarily be up for it but that by no means allows them to be complacent thanks to their slow start. Delhi's loss today might have given Mumbai breathing space but there is still a close battle between Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai for two semifinal slots.

Teams
While the Deccan Chargers famed batting lineup has failed miserably (Gibbs, Styris, Afridi have been failures of a titanic nature) it is their bowling and fielding that leaves a lot to be desired. With the exception of RP Singh, there is no quality in their bowling and one has to question how they can leave the likes of Vaas and Zoysa on the bench. With the Indian stars like Rohit and Venugopal doing fairly well with the batting it is probably time to pack up the bowling with foreigners and shed out liabilities like Gibbs, Styris and Afridi.

Bravo's loss will be a blow for the Mumbai Indians, but so long as Pollock and Jayasuriya are firing I don't think they have much to worry about. I also hear that Andre Nel is joining the team and that can be another massive plus. With Tendulkar bound to fire at some stage, it is all looking very rosy for the "Men in Blue". What will be interesting is who replaces Bravo for tomorrow's game.

Revenge Battles
Jayasuriya v Afridi - Afridi got him on his first ball last time
Uthappa v Afridi - Afridi dismissed him cheaply, too
Pollock v Bangar - Polly laid into Bangar before getting out to him
Nayyar v Afridi - Nayyar was one man who got the measure of Afridi
Nayyar v Zoysa - Zoysa got him with the bouncer
Gilchrist v Nehra, Pollock, Jayasuriya and Nayyar, all of whom he shred to pieces !!

Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Match Preview

Cross-posted on Chennai Super Kings Fans.

This is going to be a big game for both teams. While the winner won't necessarily be a certainty (esp. if it is Kolkata) for the semifinals, and the loser won't necessarily be out of contention (esp, if it is Chennai), the fact is that the balance will shift by a big margin depending on the outcome.

The biggest thing that Kolkata have going for them is the Eden Gardens factor. I think along with Shoaib it was the single most important reason for their win the other night against Delhi. The weakest link for them is their pathetic batting lineup and Chennai need to exploit this like Mumbai did yesterday.

Teams
For Kolkata Ganguly is the only hope as far as batting is concerned, maybe the odd innings by Hussey. I think it will be prudent to include a technically sound player like Taibu and bench the completely unimpressive Hafeez. The bowling however looks very good - maybe Agarkar will miss out again, and the spinner will get a chance given the nature of the Kolkata wicket.

So what can Chennai do ? Fleming's form continues to remain a worry. Should he be persisted with now that there are only 4 more games in the league to go ? Should he be allowed to come in at 3 or 4 ? Should Kapugedara be pushed up to open ? Will Raina finally play a defining knock ? Will Badri and Dhoni be able to continue their good run. The so-called strong batting is the main worry, though the bowling, as widely known, is thin. Is it worth it to bring back Ntini and sacrifise a batsman like Kapugedara ? All very interesting questions.

Revenge Battles
Ganguly v Joginder - Joginder dismissed Ganguly last time for a low score
Saha v Gony - Gony was hit but got Saha in the end
Saha v Amarnath - (if Amarnath plays), Saha got stuck into him last time
Hussey v Amarnath - Amarnath got him first ball last time
Hafeez v Amarnath - Another player that Amarnath got the better of
Shukla v Joginder
Agarkar v Patel
Shukla, Kartik v Dhoni

Delhi Daredevils vs King's X1 Punjab - Match Preview

Delhi have just about got their campaign back on track by eking out a hard win over the Chargers and they take on a very strong Punjab side. Delhi are outside the top 4 and this game is going to be crucial for them. If they win this they will take a big step towards the semifinals. If they don't they put themselves in a very precarious situation. Punjab are relatively more comfortably placed but of course, by no means guaranteed of a semifinal slot.

Teams
Daredevils are relying heavily on Gambhir with the bat, and McGrath's efforts with the ball are not being complemented by the other seamers. In such a scenario it might be the little leggie Mishra who might be their trump card.

Punjab had a bit of a hiccup against Chennai but their pace attack is firing on all cylinders and Marsh is in the form of his life. Chawla has had few poor and few excellent games and this would be a great opportunity to see how the two leggies go in the same game from opposing teams.

Revenge Battles
Gambhir v VRV Singh
Sehwag v Pathan
Tiwary v VRV Singh
Asif v Sangakarra

Prediction: Punjab win (but I wish Delhi will win)

Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders - Match Preview

Both teams that are on a roll after being down in the dump for a bit ! Mumbai have won their last 4 games after losing the 4 before, Kolkata have won their last 3 after losing the 4 before ! While Kolkata are slightly ahead on the table, Mumbai have a game in hand and can make it all level with a win tomorrow ! In fact that would put three teams - Mumbai Delhi and Kolkata jointly at 10 points bang in the middle of the table ! With no team yet guaranteed of a semis slot, tomorrow's match could make the plot all the more interesting. Plus these are the two teams with arguably the most passionate fan support so expect a high-intensity all out clash at the Wankhede !

Team News

Mumbai have been banking on their team effort so far until Jayasuriya changed it all in the last game. Expect the core set of players - Uthappa, Bravo, Pollock, Kulkarni, Nayyar, Raje, Takawle, Nehra to put in another good effort. If the openers fire, then that will be like the icing on the cake. Maybe tomorrow it will be Tendulkar's turn to hog the limelight. He looked out of sorts yesterday more particularly so because of what was happening at the other end. Kulkarni continues to impress with the ball.

For Kolkata now, the strength is definitely the bowling - the pace bowling, at that. But their record away from home has not been very good. However looking at the passion with which the team is playing Mumbai would do well to be wary.

Revenge Battles

Pollock v Ganguly - Polly got Dada very early last time to set up the win

Jayasuriya v Hussey - Jayasuriya (the bowler !) was the wrecker in chief last time, will he bowl though ?

Bravo v Shukla - Shukla (the batsman) thrashed Bravo (the bowler) for a bit

Jayasuriya v Ishant - who can forget Ishant sending the stumps cartwheeling ?

Prediction: I give the edge to the home team in this contest, but only just.