IPL Semi-finals: Bangalore vs. Chennai

As Delhi found out last night at the hands of Adam Gilchrist, there are no certainties in Twenty20 cricket – it’s this x-factor that makes the shortest form of the game so exciting. Tonight Royal Challengers Bangalore (2.20) and Chennai Super Kings (1.67) face off to see who will meet the Deccan Chargers in the IPL Final on Sunday. Both teams are even with ball in hand, but, with a order full of brutal strikers, Chennai wields a match winning advantage with bat in hand.

IPL odds supplied courtesy of Canbet.com. New members receive a £25 Cricket Free Bet.

IPL match preview:

Royal Challengers Bangalore

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 14, Won – 8, Lost – 6

After four consecutive losses in the early stages of the tournament, Bangalore has done remarkably well to bounce back under the gritty leadership of Anil Kumble. Combining individual brilliance with team effort, the squad has stepped up to deliver a truly commendable run of play. Their bowlers have been efficient and, more importantly, they have consistently set the standard in the field throughout Indian Premier League 2009. Can they translate momentum into victory?

Team (Likely): Jacques Kallis, Manish Pandey, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, Mark Boucher, Van der Merwe, Robin Uthappa, Praveen Kumar, B Akhil, Anil Kumble.

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal challengers:

Anil Kumble: With vast international experience behind him, the captain is a big match winner – 9/10

Jacques Kallis: His all-round show as an opening batsmen and opening bowler is supremely handy – 9/10

Praveen Kumar: He is a thinking cricketer with street smart variations up his sleeve – 8/10

Rahul Dravid: One man any team can rely on. He will certainly hold one end and allow others to play around him, if Bangalore loses Kallis early – 9/10

Ross Taylor: The talented Kiwi can win matches virtually single handedly for Bangalore – 8/10

Chennai Super Kings

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 14, Won – 8, Lost – 5, N/R – 1

Though they are second on the points table, Chennai has a few issues to worry about. Their fielding hasn’t been up to standards and their bowling has been invariably inconsistent. However, Chennai will get a boost by Matthew Hayden’s return, whereas it will be interesting to see if they include Mike Hussey who has joined the squad recently replacing Jacob Oram.

Team (Likely): Matthew Hayden, Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Jacob Oram/Mike Hussey, Subramaniam Badrinath, Albie Morkal, Shabad Jakati, Sudeep Tyagi, Laxmipathy Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Best Bet for Chennai Super Kings:

Matthew Hayden: The most prolific run scorer in this tournament – 10/10

MS Dhoni: A phenomenal reader of play, this cool customer delivers more often than not – 9/10

Suresh Raina: He is in form and has shown both maturity and consistency – 8/10

Albie Morkal: Newly found opening ball bowler, he’s been successful in getting early breakthroughs and is handy with the bat lower down the order – 8/10

Muttiah Muralitharan: The magical off-spinner can win matches for his team in just 4 overs – 9/10

IPL Semi-finals: Daredevils vs. Chargers

Fifty six matches down, just three to go – it’s been a captivating Indian Premier League 2009 and it just keeps getting better. After dominating the group stage, the Delhi Daredevils are joint favourites to take first prize, but first they must overcome the determined, though inconsistent, Deccan Chargers at Supersport Park in Centurion tonight. We’ve entered the elimination phase of the tournament, so it’s do or die for the IPL top four. Which franchise can best handle the pressure?

IPL odds supplied courtesy of Canbet.com. New members receive a £25 Cricket Free Bet.

IPL match preview:

Delhi Daredevils

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 14, Won – 10, Lost – 4

Captain Virender Sehwag is back in form and, ahead of the first IPL semi-final, he couldn’t have timed his comeback any better. Gautam Gambhir is also looking fluent with the bat, and it’s more than likely that they will open the batting together in the knock-out stages of the tournament. Since they have a strong order, Delhi will opt for two spinners in Daniel Vettori and Amit Mishra in addition to three fast bowlers.

Likely team: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, T Dilshan, AB DeVillers, Dinesh Karthik, Daniel Vettori, Rajat Bhatia, Amit Mishra, Pradeep Sangwan, Dirk Nannes and Ashish Nehra

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:

Virender Sehwag: Sehwag is back in form with a characteristic half-century against Mumbai Indians in their last league match – 9/10

Gautam Gambhir: Thought he is yet to make a big contribution, he is scoring consistently for Delhi – 9/10

Ashish Nehra: The lanky left-arm pacer is one of the leading wicket-takers in the Indian Premier League thus far and has provided Delhi with crucial breakthroughs when required – 8/10

T Dilshan: Has been the mainstay of Delhi’s batting order, scoring consistently and with ease – 8/10

Dinesh Karthik: Karthik has evolved to become a promising match winner this year for Delhi and his ability to finish matches is commendable – 8/10

Deccan Chargers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 14, Won – 7, Lost – 7

Struggling to devise the optimal team composition, their form has been indifferent of late. The middle-order remains a cause of concern for Adam Gilchrist; only Rohit Sharma has performed consistently when they lose quick wickets upfront. In addition, their bowlers need to display more discipline in the later, and most important, overs of the innings.

Team (Likely): Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs, TS Suman, Rohit Sharma, Andrew Symonds, Ravi Teja, Venugopal Rao, Ryan Harris, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha and Shoaib Maqsusi

Best Bet for Deccan Chargers:

Adam Gilchrist: Arguably the best big match player alive – 9/10

Rohit Sharma: Consistent and highly resourceful with both bat and ball – 8/10

Herschelle Gibbs: Can be extremely destructive on his day – 8/10

RP Singh: Singh has to deliver if Deccan is to seize the initiative – 8/10

Andrew Symonds: One of the best all-rounders in cricket and a big match winner on his day – 7/10

Super Kings vs. Knight Riders

The small boundaries and quick wicket at Supersport Park in Centurion should yield a high-scoring encounter when the Chennai Super Kings clash with the Kolkata Knight Riders today. Absolutely nothing seems to be going the Knight Rider’s way and a victory over Chennai would go a long way to numbing the pain of their wooden spoon spanking in Indian Premier League 2009.  

 IPL odds supplied courtesy of Canbet.com. New members receive a £25 Cricket Free Bet.  

IPL match preview:

Chennai Super Kings

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 12, Won – 7, Lost – 4, N/R – 1

Super Kings have already booked a semi-final berth, and are unlikely to make many changes to their team. However, there may be a rotation or two in the bowling department to give some of their key performers rest. Jacob Oram and Albie Morkel are yet to have a decent bat throughout this tournament, so one can expect them to feature higher in the order. 

Best Bet for Chennai Super Kings:

Matthew Hayden – 10/10
MS Dhoni- 9/10
Albie Morkel – 8/10
Suresh Raina – 8/10
Sudeep Tyagi -7/10

Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 12, Won – 1, Lost – 10, N/R – 1  

After a heartbreaking defeat against the Deccan Chargers in their last match, the Knight Riders will be desperate for a little luck and a favourable result. They’ve been the dead-rubber of Indian Premier League 2009, but with only a few chances left to shine expect a determined performance.  

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:

Sourav Ganguly – 8/10
Brad Hodge – 8/10
David Hussey – 8/10
Brendon McCullum – 7/10
Murali Karthik – 7/10

Royal Challengers vs. Knight Riders

The first of another exciting double-header at Centurion tonight sees wooden spoon franchises Bangalore Royal Challengers (1.67) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2.20) clash in an encounter that may just turn out to be a cracker. Despite featuring star studded line-ups, both teams have underperformed so far in Indian Premier League 2009 and both will be desperate to avoid finishing last in the tournament. If there was ever a time for a resurgent display against a vulnerable foe, this is it.

IPL odds supplied courtesy of Canbet.com. New members receive a £25 Cricket Free Bet.  

IPL match preview:

Bangalore Royal Challengers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 10, Won – 4, Lost -6

Following two successive losses, the situation is not looking good for the Royal Challengers. After taking over the captaincy from Kevin Pietersen Anil Kumble led a mini-revival, but now with his team in slump again he faces a massive task to lift spirits in the dressing room and reignite intensity on the field. Disciplined cricket will be required from here on in if the Challengers are to avoid further decline.

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal Challengers:          

Rahul Dravid – 8/10
Jacques Kallis -8/10
Virat Kohli – 8/10
Anil Kumble – 7/10
Praveen Kumar – 6/10

Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 10, Won – 1, Lost – 8, N/R – 1

It appears as if there is no relief for the Knight Riders. Sloppy fielding, poor batting and chaotic bowling paints a disappointing picture of their performance in Indian Premier League 2009 so far. Murali Karthik is yet to pick up a wicket in the tournament, but is still figuring in the playing XI. David Hussy immediately replace Henriques as well.

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:

Sourav Ganguly – 9/10
David Hussey- 8/10
Brad Hodge – 8/10
Ishant Sharma- 7/10
Brendon McCullum – 6/10

Mumbai Indians vs. Deccan Chargers

Today’s IPL focus is the cracking encounter between the Mumbai Indians and the Deccan Chargers at Centurion. Evenly matched, both sides are in wane and have struggled to maintain consistent form. However, both can also be brutally efficient with both bat and ball. Cricket betting tips: With the average opening innings score at the ground just over 150 runs to date, anything less will be near impossible to defend. Make your cricket knowledge count, you can bet live in the run on all IPL matches at Canbet.com.

IPL match preview:

Mumbai Indians

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 7, Won – 3, Lost -3, N/R – 1

Win one, lose one – this is the disturbing form pattern has developed for the sometimes sublime, sometimes mediocre Indians in the Indian Premier League 2009. It’s an alarming sign of inconstancy and quick repair work is needed. Both Tendulkar and JP Duminy have been pillars of strength with the bat for the franchise, but evidently two players can’t carry the team. It’s time for a united effort before it’s too late.  

Best Bet for Mumbai Indians:                                  

Sachin Tendulkar – 9/10
Sanath Jayasuria -9/10
Harbajan Singh – 8/10
Dhawal Kulkarni – 7/10
Dwayne Bravo – 7/10

Deccan Chargers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 7, Won – 4, Lost – 3

With their tremendous start to IPL 2009 erased by three straight defeats, the Deccan Chargers are struggling to arrest the slide and keep themselves in contention. Once again, the performance of their openers along with Rohit Sharma will be pivotal to their chances – apart from this trio their batting has been disappointingly brittle, in spite of the heroics from Dwayne Smith in last game. In the absence of the fast and furious Fidel Edwards, Vaas’s experience will come in handy to counter Mumbai’s veteran openers.

Best Bet for Deccan Chargers:

Adam Gilchrist – 9/10
Rohit Sharma – 8/10
Herschel Gibbs – 8/10
Pragyan Ojha – 8/10
TS Suman- 7/10

Kings XI Punjab vs. Knight Riders

Indian Premier League 2009 action is heating up with many encounters becoming make or break affairs for underperforming franchises. The Kolkata Knight Riders are one such team, with the struggling outfit in desperate need of victory against the Kings XI Punjab. Will desperation be enough to inspire a rejuvenated display? Make your opinion count with a £25 Cricket Free Bet available right now at Canbet.com.

IPL match preview:

Kings XI Punjab

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 6, Won – 3, Lost -3

Kings XI Punjab Captain, Yuvraj Singh will still be wondering how his side ended up on the wrong side of the line after his heroics with bat and ball against the Bangalore Royal Challengers earlier this week. Despite the shocking defeat, the team is starting to click and with Yusuf Abdulla and Irfan Pathan firing on all cylinders, the Punjab’s have no more worries with the ball. The Middle order needs to start contributing if they are to become more competitive in the Indian Premier League 2009.    

Best Bet for Kings XI Punjab:     

Yuvraj Singh- 9/10
Simon Katich-8/10
Kumar Sangakkara – 8/10
Yusuf Abdulla – 8/10
Piyush Chawla – 7/10

Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 7, Won – 1, Lost – 5, N/R – 1

Nothing is falling into place for the Knight Riders this season. Captain Brendon McCullum is struggling to find his Midas touch with the bat, resulting in a team needs more confidence and aggression by the bucketful. They already appear a lost unit, and it will take some individual brilliance from one of the Knight Riders to rekindle their IPL 2009 hopes.

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:                         

MN van Wyk – 8/10
Wriddhiman Saha – 8/10
Chris Gayle – 7/10
Sourav Ganguly – 7/10
Brad Hodge- 7/10

Super Kings vs. Delhi Daredevils

Absolute class from AB DeVillers helped the Deli Daredevils conquer the Chennai Super Kings in a high scoring first round match. Up until now the two teams have met thrice, out of which Delhi has claimed two convincing victories and Chennai a single win in a last ball thriller. Delhi clearly has an edge over Chennai in this match, making them an attractive option on Canbet.com’s IPL Cricket Betting Markets - the publicly listed bookmaker is home to world’s biggest cricket betting community.

IPL match preview:

Chennai Super Kings

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 6, Won – 2, Lost – 3, N/R – 1

It’s been a tough ride for Chennai this season, but the team did well to pull off a vital win against the Rajasthan Royals in their last match. A revamp of the order has resulted in a significant bowling improvement. They will be relying on their newly found acumen with the ball to give Delhi a good fight. Given the team’s form, they are likely to take the field with an unchanged team. 

Best Bet for Chennai Super Kings:                           

Matthew Hayden – 9/10
Suresh Raina – 9/10
MS Dhoni – 8/10
Muttiah Muralitharan – 8/10
L Balaji – 7/10

Delhi Daredevils

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 5, Won – 4, Lost – 1

The Daredevils will take the field without their captain Virender Sehwag, who is out due to injury. Despite having an impressive four wins under their belt in the Indian Premier League 2009 thus far, their form with the bat has been inconsistent, especially when DeVillers fails. Watch out for some big hits from David Warner who will open in place of Sehwag. Vettori is likely to captain.

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:                   

Gautam Gambhir – 9/10
AB DeVillers – 9/10
David Warner – 8/10
T Dilshan – 8/10
Daniel Vettori – 7/10

Mumbai Indians vs. Knight Riders

After stumbling to a humiliating defeat against the Mumbai Indians in their first round encounter, the Kolkata Knight Riders need redemption tonight in East London to keep their semi-final hopes alive. The game will be held at Buffalo Park, one of the smallest grounds in South Africa. With powerful hitters in both sides, Canbet.com’s Most Sixes market once again looks an attractive betting option.

IPL match preview

Mumbai Indians

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 5, Won – 2, Lost -2, N/R – 1

The Mumbai Indian’s campaign has so far has yielded mixed results, including an unexpected defeat at the hands of the Kings XI Punjab in their last match. However, Mumbai is an awesomely strong team and odds are that they will return to winning form in this match.

Best Bet for Mumbai Indians:Lasitha Malinga- 10/10
Sanath Jayasuria – 9/10
Sachin Tendulkar – 9/10
Dwayne Bravo – 8/10
Zaheer Khan – 7/10

 

Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 6, Won – 1, Lost – 4, N/R – 1

The team has suffered from the off-field controversy surrounding their “multiple captain theory”, and the change of guard that preceded Indian Premier League 2009. Their performances have so far been below par, and their captain Brendon McCullum’s poor form with the bat isn’t helping matters either.  

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:Chris Gayle – 9/10
Murali Karthik – 9/10
Sourav Ganguly – 8/10
Brendon McCullum – 8/10
Wridhiman Saha – 7/10

Deccan Chargers vs. Delhi Daredevils

The warriors of the willow take centre stage at Centurion today as two of the hottest teams in the Indian Premier League 2009 clash. One can only think big scores are on the card with the likes of Gilchrist, Gibbs, Gambhir and Sehwag at the wicket – this despite the ground being infamous as a low scoring venue. The Deccan Chargers have so far conquered all, while the Delhi Daredevils have only wavered once from their goal. Canbet.com’s IPL winners market has them priced at an even 1.90 each – who do think will prevail?

IPL match preview:

Deccan Chargers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 4, Won – 4, Lost – 0

The Hyderabad team is on a roll with four convincing wins on the trot, however taking on the formidable Delhi Daredevils is likely to be their toughest challenge to date. The team has responded well to pressure and decisive leadership from their captain, although their middle-order is still an area of concern for the Chargers.   

Best Bet for Deccan Chargers:

Adam Gilchrist – 9/10
Pragyan Ojha – 9/10
Herschel Gibbs- 8/10
Rohit Sharma – 8/10
Fidel Edwards – 6/10

Delhi Daredevils

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 4, Won – 3, Lost – 1

The Delhi Daredevils are one of the strongest teams in the Indian Premier League 2009, claiming three wins with only one disappointing performance – their batting blemishes cost them defeat against the Rajasthan Royals. The key for Delhi is to get Adam Gilchrist and Herschel Gibbs out early, and whose more capable than Glenn McGrath? It’s high time he gets a look in.

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:

AB DeVillers – 9/10
Daniel Vettori – 9/10
Glenn McGrath – 8/10
Pradeep Sangwan – 8/10
Virender Sehwag – 7/10

Royal Challengers vs. Knight Riders

Kingsmead in Durban has been the venue of some very impressive batting displays in the past few weeks. You can expect this trend to continue when the Bangalore Royal Challengers (2.08) clash with the Kolkata Knight Riders (1.75) tonight. The match is crucial for Bangalore, as they not only need to win to keep their tournament alive, but also to give their captain a good send-off. Given the Knight Rider’s dynamic opening duo, there’s value to found on Canbet.com’s Most Sixes market.

IPL match preview:

Bangalore Royal Challengers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 5, Won – 1, Lost -4

Bangalore has once again slumped to its nadir in spite of efforts to reform the team. New Captain Kevin Pietersen has so far failed to inspire a radical improvement in results, and will be determined to end his stint the Indian Premier League 2009 with victory – the fiery batsman returns to England for a Test series against West Indies post the match. Pietersen is a big match player, so and expect an explosive bash. In other news, Rahul Dravid is only likely to join the squad after this match.

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal Challengers:

Kevin Pietersen – 10/10
Jesse Ryder – 8/10
Mark Boucher- 8/10
Jacques Kallis – 8/10
Anil Kumble – 7/10
Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 5, Won – 1, Lost – 2, Tied – 1, N/R – 1

The Knight Riders are placed slightly higher on the points table than their opponents, and will fancy their chances of a win against the disordered Royal Challengers. The current lack of runs scored by Captain Brendon McCullum’s is a cause of concern for the team, especially given that, except Sourav Ganguly, their middle-order is dangerously brittle. A change in batting order may do the trick for Kolkata, with McCullum dropping down to number four. One can also expect a change or two in their bowling after Tendulkar and Jayasuria dismantled them completely.  

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:

Sourav Ganguly – 9/10
Chris Gayle – 9/10
Ajantha Mendis – 8/10
Ishant Sharma – 8/10
Ashok Dinda – 7/10

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