Chennai Super kings won the second IPL semifinals by nine wickets at Mumbai tonight.
Chennai Super Kings went through to the IPL Finals after defeating the Punjab Kings' XI easily in the Second IPL Semifinal by 9 wickets.
The Punjab team and their owner Priety Zinta looked really dejected, the usual pep was missing altogether.
Punjab Team did not perform at all and gave no fight in the match. Their batting collapsed and their bowlers could not make a match of it. CSKs had beaten the Punjab team in the league matches also.
The CSK had hundred up on the scoreboard in the fourteenth over at the loss of only one wicket. They were scoring with ease, with no pressure from the Punjab bowlers.
Both Parthiv Patel and Raina scored a fifty each in their partnership of 102 runs off 75 balls for Chennai.
Raina scored his fifty in 32 balls with three fours and four sixes.
Now Chennai Super Kings will be facing Jaipur Royals in the IPL Final tommorow
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Chennai win the Second Semifinal by nine wickets
Chennai on top in Second IPL Semifinal
The Punjab Kings XI cracked under pressure in the second IPL semifinal match against Chennai. The Punjab team could score only 113 runs in the twenty overs in their IPL semifinal against Chennai.
The Punjab team reached its fifty in 11 overs after the loss of six wickets. The team's top order batting really let them down. Running between the wickets was a total disaster.
Priety Zinta was seen furiously fanning herself. It was difficult to tell if it was the Mumbai heat or
the heat generated by Chennai team's bowling.Chawla was clean bowled by a beauty from Murlitharan in the thirteenth over when the score was at 63.
Punjab never got the momentum going as they lost their eighth wicket in the 19th over and Priety Zinta was seen hitting her hand her head and not without a reason. The Punjab performance was way below par.
Sreesanth almost ran himself out in the very first ball he faced.
Punjab reached their hundred in the twentieth over. Powar hit three consecutive fours in the last over and became the top scorer for Punjab XI by scoring 29 runs off 21 balls.
Punjab bowlers have their task cut out for them and their chances of wining the second IPL semifinals seem bleak and remote at the moment. The Chennai Super Kings' batsman
Chennai Super Kings grabbed the last available semifinal spot in the Indian Premier League after beating Deccan Chargers by seven wickets in their last league match.
Chennai has caused some real heart breaks on their journey to the semifinals as they also broke the heart of Sachin Tendulkar led Mumbai Indians team, which is now out of the tournament.
As for now it looks like we will have an IPL final between Chennai super Kings and Jaipur Royals, Unless the Punjab team can pull off a miracle.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Bookies betting on Punjab and Rajasthan IPL Final Clash
Earlier in the first IPL semifinal Australian Shane Watson guided the Rajasthan Royals to a 105-run win over the Delhi Daredevils in Mumbai and a place in the inaugural IPL final. Watson top-scored for the Royals with 52 off 29 deliveries and also dominated with the ball, dismissing the dangerous Virender Sehwag and Gautam Ghambir in quick succession to leave the Daredevils reeling.
And when Dinesh Karthik and Tillakaratne Dilshan departed cheaply, it was virtually all over for the shambolic Daredevils.
Earlier Watson built impressively on the platform provided by openers Graeme Smith (25) and Swapnil Asnodkar (39) as the Royals finished with a competitive 192-9 after being asked to bat first.
Asnodkar had stifled nerves at the start in typically explosive style as he put on 65 runs for the opening wicket with Smith.
Delhi never recovered from this early body blows and lost wickets at regular intervals while the asking rate kept climbing before they were shot out for a paltry 87 in 16.1 overs.
Rajasthan Royals now await the winners of the second semifinal, to be played at the same venue tomorrow between Punjab King's XI and Chennai Super Kings, in the IPL final to be played at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on June 1.
If Watson stole the major honours of the day, teammate Yusuf Pathan hit a whirlwind 45 in 21 balls with four sixes and three fours.
The hard-hitting Pathan, named in the Indian 15 for next month's tri-series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup in Pakistan earlier in the day, creamed the hapless Delhi attack, which included Glenn McGrath, to hit four sixes and three fours in his 21-ball knock.
The outcome if the second IPL semifinal today will decide who will play against the Rajasthan IPL team in the IPL finals.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
First IPL Semifinal Details
The irony of the Indian Premier League's first semi-final is that Delhi have Rajasthan to thank for their place in the final four. Stuck on 15 points after 14 matches, Delhi needed Rajasthan to beat Mumbai in Jaipur and only after Mumbai's final-ball choke was Delhi's spot secured.
Ironic again because Rajasthan have lost to only three teams in the IPL - Punjab, in a dead rubber; Mumbai; and Delhi, their IPL semi-final opponents, in their first match of the tournament. Rajasthan were crushed in that encounter at the Feroz Shah Kotla by nine wickets and 29 balls to spare. They settled scores with Delhi during the home game , but that victory too looked improbable until Shane Watson blitzed 74 off 40 balls.
Rajasthan Royals, led by former Australian Shane Warne entered the IPL semi final with 11 wins and three defeats in 14 matches while Virender Sehwag's Delhi Daredevils qualified for the last four with seven wins, six defeats in 14 matches.
The two teams have won one match each when they met in the league stage. Delhi Daredevils thrashed Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets in a disappointingly one-sided game at Delhi on April 19.
Rajasthan Royals didn't have a chance after their batsmen had floundered badly, putting up a dismal 129 on the board.
Gautam Gambhir's unbeaten 58, and his 112-run partnership with Shikhar Dhawan - who helped himself to a half-century as well - finished off the run-chase in a mere 15.1 overs.
Shane Watson scored a blistering 74 off 40 balls with five fours and same number of sixes to ensure Rajasthan Royals a three-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur on May 11. Chasing 157 to win in 20 overs, Rajasthan made 159 for seven and won with five balls to spare.
Delhi Daredevils made 156 for seven in 20 overs. Maharoof who top scored for the Delhi team (39) , hit Shane Warne for 26 runs in the penultimate over with the help of four sixes, lifting the spirits of a dejected Delhi team.
ROAD TO SEMI FINAL:
DELHI DAREDEVILS:
** Beat Rajasthan Royals by 9 wickets at Delhi
** Beat Deccan Chargers by 9 wickets at Hyderabad
** Lost to Kings XI Punjab by 4 wickets at Mohali
** Beat Bangalore Royal Challengers by 10 runs at Delhi
** Beat Chennai Super KIngs by 8 wickets at Chennai
** Lost to Mumbai Indians by 29 runs at Mumbai
** Lost to Chennai Super Kings by 4 wickets at Delhi
** Lost to Rajasthan Royals by 3 wickets at Jaipur
** Lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 23 runs at Kolkata
** Beat Deccan Chargers by 12 runs at Delhi
** Lost to Kings XI Punjab by 6 runs (D/L method) at Delhi
** Beat Bangalore Royals Challengers by 5 wickets at Bangalore
** Match abandoned with Kolkata Knight Riders at Delhi
** Beat Mumbai Indian by 5 wickets at Delhi
RAJASTHAN ROYALS:
** Lost to Delhi Daredevils by 9 wickets at Delhi
** Beat Kings XI Punjab by 6 wickets at Jaipur
** Beat Deccan Chargers by 3 wickets at Hyderabad
** Beat Bangalore Royal Challengers by 7 wickets at Bangalore
** Beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 45 runs at Jaipur
** Beat Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets at Jaipur
** Lost to Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets at Mumbai
** Beat Deccan Chargers by 8 wickets at Jaipur
** Beat Delhi Daredevils by 3 wickets at Jaipur
** Beat Bangalore Royal Challengers by 65 runs at Jaipur
** Beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 6 wickets at Kolkata
** Beat Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs at Chennai
** Beat Mumbai Indians by 5 wickets at Jaipur
** Lost to Kings XI Punjab by 41 runs at Mohali
MEETING IN IPL LEAGUE PHASE:
** Played on April 19,2008 at Delhi
Toss: Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals: 129-8 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 29, Dinesh Salunkhe 26 not out)
Delhi Daredevils: 132-1 in 15.1 overs (Gautam Gambhir 58 not out, Shikhar Dhawan 52 not out)
Result: Delhi Daredevils won by nine wickets
Man of the Match: Farveez Maharoof (Delhi Daredevils)
** Played on May 11,2008 at Jaipur
Toss: Rajasthan Royals
Delhi Daredevils: 156 for seven in 20 overs (Farveez Maharoof 39, Gautam Gambhir 31)
Rajasthan Royals: 159 for seven in 19.1 overs (Shane Watson 74)
Result: Rajasthan Royals won by three wickets
Man of the Match: Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Profile of four IPL semifinal teams
Speculation is over. We finally know which four teams are going to play in the IPL semifinals.
Chennai Super Kings dashed the last hope of Mumbai to reach the IPL semifinals as they staked their claim on the last available IPL semifinal spot in the Indian Premier League after beating Deccan Chargers by seven wickets in their last IPL league match here today.
The Chennai team not only sealed a IPL semifinal place for themselves they also broke the heart of Sachin Tendulkar led Mumbai Indians team, which is now out of the IPL tournament.
Here is a brief profile of all the four IPL semifinalists and the Points Table of all the IPL Teams.
(Note: The odds given for the IPL teams were at the start of the tournament)
Name: Rajasthan Royals
Owner: Emerging Media
Ground: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Coach: Shane Warne
Captain: Shane Warne
Star player: Graeme Smith
Most expensive player: Mohammad Kaif, $675,000
Squad: Graeme Smith, Morne Morkel, (South Africa),
Justin Langer, Shane Watson, Shane Warne (Australia),
Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan),
Dimitri Mascarenhas (England),
Mohammad Kaif, Anoop Revandkar, Taruwar Kohli, Niraj Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Siddharth Trivedi, Swapnil Asnodkar, Sumit Khatri, Munaf Patel, Pankaj Singh (India).
Total cost: $3,610,000
Odds: 12/1
Name: King's XI, Punjab
Owner: Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul and Mohit Burman
Ground: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali
Coach: Tom Moody
Captain: Yuvraj Singh
Star player: Brett Lee
Most expensive player: Yuvraj Singh, $1,063,750 (ICON PLAYER)
Squad: Simon Katich, Luke Pomersbach, Brett Lee, James Hopes, Shaun Marsh (Australia),
Kyle Mills (New Zealand),
Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies),
Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka),
Yuvraj Singh, Sree Santh, Piyush Chawla, Karan Goel, Uday Kaul, Tanmay Srivastava, Sahil Kukreja, Sunny Sohal, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Pankaj Dharmani, Nitin Saini, Wilkin Mota (India).
Total cost: $6,503,750
Odds: 13/2
Owner: GMR Holdings
Ground: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Coach: Greg Shipperd
Captain: Virender Sehwag
Star player: Virender Sehwag
Most expensive player: Virender Sehwag, $833,750 (ICON PLAYER)
Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Farveez Maharoof (Sri Lanka),
Daniel Vettori (New Zealand),
Glenn McGrath, Brett Geeves (Australia),
Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Malik (Pakistan),
AB de Villiers (South Africa),
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Manoj Tiwary, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Bhatia, Mithun Manhas, Mayank Tehlan, Pradeep Sangwan, Yo Mahesh (India).
Total cost: $6,372,500
Odds: 7/1
Name: Chennai Super Kings
Owner: India Cements
Ground: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Coach: Keppler Wessels
Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Star player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Most expensive player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, $1.5m
Squad: Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey (Australia),
Stephen Fleming, Jacob Oram (New Zealand),
Makhaya Ntini, Albie Morkel (South Africa),
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka),
Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, Parthiv Patel, Joginder Sharma, Lakshmipathi Balaji, Napolean Einstein, Abhinav Mukund, Sudeep Tyagi, Rashwin, Viraj Kadbe, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, Anirudha Srikkanth, P Amarnath, S Sresh Kumar, Arun Karthik and Shadab Jakati (India).
Total cost: $6,225,000
Odds: 10/3 favourites
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points |
| IPL JAIPUR | 13 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| IPL MOHALI | 13 | 9 | 4 | 18 |
| IPL | 14 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
| IPL CHENNAI | 13 | 7 | 6 | 14 |
| IPL KOLKATA | 14 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| IPL MUMBAI | 13 | 6 | 7 | 12 |
| IPL BANGLORE | 13 | 4 | 9 | 8 |
| IPL HYDRABAD | 13 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
Monday, May 26, 2008
Delhi Go Through To IPL Semifinals
Jaipur cut down Mumbai on Monday and confirmed that Delhi, on 15 points, entered the IPL semifinals.
Mumbai's fortunes have been swinging with Sachin Tendulkar’s forced absence, and were further compounded Harbhajan Singh’s ouster after ‘Slapgate’. The return of the Little Master raised hopes of a final-four showing. And in the end, an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand between Ravinder Jadeja and Niraj Patel took Jaipur to a last-ball win.
Mumbai now have to win their final IPL match (on Wednesday) and hope that, in the interim, Chennai lose their last game against Hyderabad on Tuesday — and badly — so that net-run rate carries them through. If Chennai beat Hyderabad, they’re through as the third placed team on 16 points irrespective of what Mumbai do in their final game.
Jaipur chose to bowl first and they stuck to their guns, with Sohail Tanvir cutting through Mumbai, taking 4 for 14. On a pitch that was not the best to bat on, with the ball not coming onto the bat, only Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar got past 30, with the rest falling away. In a crunch game, this was never likely to be enough.
Virender Sehwag and his merry men will celebrate as they go through to the IPL semifinals, but not for long, for they know the team that helped them into the semis is the one most likely to stop them in their tracks.
The opening combination of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya was the one to watch out for even before the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced. And the duo --- despite making the crowds wait for half the tournament before eventually walking out to open the Mumbai innings together --- has lived up to its reputation.
Mumbai are hosting the final of the inaugural IPL tournament but they’ve been shut out of their own party.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points |
| IPL JAIPUR | 13 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| IPL MOHALI | 12 | 9 | 3 | 18 |
| IPL | 14 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
| IPL CHENNAI | 13 | 7 | 6 | 14 |
| IPL MUMBAI | 13 | 6 | 7 | 12 |
| IPL KOLKATA | 13 | 5 | 7 | 11 |
| IPL BANGLORE | 13 | 4 | 9 | 8 |
| IPL HYDRABAD | 13 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
Sunday, May 25, 2008
IPL Semifinals Lineup
The three IPL teams still in contention are Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
Delhi now has to play the waiting game. They have done their job and the rest is out of their hands and depends on the outcome of matches Mumbai and Chennai Teams play.
Both Mumbai and Chennai are within striking distance of a slot on the IPL Semifinals. However, Mumbai (13)have two games to play as of now, and can qualify if they win both the matches. Chennai, with 14 points and one games to play, also need to win to enter the IPL Semis.
If either Mumbai or Chennai lose a match, Delhi IPL teams gets a place in the IPL Semifinals.
One thing is for sure, unlike the Jaipur team we will not be going to Goa for a break," said Virender Sehwag when asked how his team planned to spend the next few days given that their playing time in the league phase of the IPL had come to an end. Delhi have 15 points from their full set of 14 matches.
All Delhi can do now is wait and see if either Mumbai, who have two matches left, or Chennai, who have one game in hand, can play themselves out of a IPL semifinal spot. Sehwag, who admitted that all his team could do now was "pray" that things went their way after it seemed like luck had finally turned for his team - they had lost more than one tight game and struggled with rain and Duckworth-Lewis - was not beyond looking for some help from above.
There are going to be some tense and nail biting matches in IPL now irrespective of which ever teams qualify for the remaining two slots in the IPL semifinals.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points |
| IPL JAIPUR | 12 | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| IPL MOHALI | 12 | 9 | 3 | 18 |
| IPL | 14 | 7 | 6 | 15 |
| IPL CHENNAI | 13 | 7 | 6 | 14 |
| IPL MUMBAI | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| IPL KOLKATA | 13 | 5 | 7 | 11 |
| IPL BANGLORE | 13 | 4 | 9 | 8 |
| IPL HYDRABAD | 13 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
