IPL FINAL: Challengers vs. Chargers

Head to head its Royal Challengers Bangalore three, Deccan Chargers one, but in a Twenty20 Final of this magnitude the statistics are out the window. Both sides are on the rise in terms of form, having strung together a number of consistent performances to reach the IPL Finals and both feature a number of players with the ability to change the direction of the match in almost an instant. There’s no question that tonight the Challengers v the Chargers will light up the Wanderers in Johannesburg with an epic and memorable encounter. As a fanatical cricket fan, I’m on the edge of my seat in anticipation!

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 – 15, Won – 9, Lost – 6

No matter what happens in the final, Royal Challengers Bangalore is no longer considered a ‘Test’ team. A fairytale comeback of sorts for the men in red, Bangalore’s resurgence saw them pulling off an upset win against the tournament favorites Chennai Super Kings with a clinical performance in the semi-finals. Since Anil Kumble took over, Bangalore has won seven out of their nine matches, and it’s now five in a row. All their batsmen have struck form, so the team is peaking at the right time. After defeating the Chargers by 12 runs just two days back, its advantage Royal Challengers.

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

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal challengers:

Anil Kumble: Big match winner and now undoubtedly the best captain of the tournament. Can he pull of a Jumbo performance?  - 9/10

Manish Pandey: He is certainly the find of the tournament, and if the way he approached his innings against Chennai is anything to go by, you better watch out for another stellar performance by this young lad – 9/10

Rahul Dravid: He is back to his best after a matching winning 44 in the semi-final; a balanced exhibition of aggression and caution- 9/10

Praveen Kumar: He has been influential in keeping the batsmen guessing and can swing the ball to great extent – 8/10

Ross Taylor: He can bail you out from impossibilities – 8/10

Deccan Chargers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 15, Won – 8, Lost – 7

Deccan Chargers will be on a high after thumping the Delhi Daredevils in the semi-final; however it was more of a one man show than a collective effort. With the exception of Adam Gilchrist, the other batsmen have been a little off-color in the later stages of the tournament. Rohit Sharma hasn’t has enough opportunities to bat for long, so he looks rusty. Another challenge for Deccan will be their bowling. Here they are very much dependent on RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha to deliver, and when they don’t they appear a lost outfit.

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

Best Bet for Deccan Chargers:

Adam Gilchrist: His 35-ball 80 blew Delhi away. Can he deliver another knock-out punch? – 9/10

Rohit Sharma: A key member who’s performance can make or break Deccan’s fate – 9/10

Herschelle Gibbs: A jackpot. When he clicks there no stopping this fellow – 8/10

RP Singh: He has taken the most wickets in the tournament and must deliver up front to keep Deccan’s hopes alive – 8/10

Andrew Symonds: Can win matches single handedly on his day – 8/10

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

Deccan Chargers vs. Royal Challengers

With Chennai Super Kings winning the match against Kings XI Punjab, it’s virtually guaranteed that these two teams will make it to the semis irrespective of today’s result. However, a dramatic collapse by either team will give Punjab a ray of hope. So just how will the Deccan Chargers fare against the Bangalore Royal Challengers when these two championship contenders clash tonight in at Supersport Park?

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

IPL match preview:

Deccan Chargers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 7, Lost – 6

Deccan has been highly inconsistent in the latter half of the tournament, with their place in the Indian Premier League top four almost assured, they will be looking to bolster their confidence with a convincing victory.

Best Bet for Deccan Chargers:

Adam Gilchrist – 9/10
Rohit Sharma – 9/10
Herschelle Gibbs – 9/10
Andrew Symonds – 8/10
RP Singh – 8/10

Bangalore Royal Challengers

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 7, Lost – 6

Bangalore is turning it on big time with the astute leadership from Anil Kumble. The team is responding well to the challenges before them and is upbeat about their chances of making it to Indian Premier League semi-finals. Taylor will be the key man once again in their middle order, so expect another aggressive show from the Challengers.

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal Challengers:

Anil Kumble – 9/10
Ross Taylor – 9/10
Rahul Dravid – 8/10
Jacques Kallis- 8/10
Vinay Kumar- 7/10

Delhi Daredevils vs. Mumbai Indians

Topping the stack in the group stage, this is a practice match for the Delhi Daredevils as they prepare for the business end of the tournament. Inversely, and despite featuring the deepest pockets in the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai Indians are playing simply for pride following a dismal performance in IPL 2009. It’s hard to predict the dynamics of this dead-rubber, but you can bet both sides will be in it to win it.

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 – 13, Won – 9, Lost – 4

Delhi was surprisingly outplayed by Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last game. However, as the top performing team in IPL 2009 so far, the only concern for Delhi will be the poor opening partnerships produced throughout the tournament. To be their devilish best in the knockout phase, they will need better starts so that the likes of Dilshan, DeVillers and Karthik can maximise the score rather than reconstructing the innings.

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:

AB DeVillers – 9/10
Gautam Gambhir- 9/10
Daniel Vettori – 8/10
T Dilshan – 8/10
Virender Sehwag -8/10

Mumbai Indians

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 5, Lost – 7, N/R – 1

Mumbai is out of the tournament, but will no doubt like to finish the season on a high. Zaheer Khan is unlikely to play due to injury concerns, as may be the case with Harbajan Singh. They will also miss the services of Dwayne Bravo who has departed to play for the West Indies against England.

Best Bet for Mumbai Indians:

Sanath Jayasuria – 9/10
JP Duminy – 8/10
Sachin Tendulkar – 8/10
Abhishek Kumar – 8/10
Ajinka Rahane – 7/10

Super Kings vs. Kings XI Punjab

Despite holding an almost insurmountable statistical advantage over the Rajasthan Royals, the Super Kings (1.70) can ill afford to lose against the Kings XI Punjab (2.15) in the second of today’s fixtures at Kingsmead. Dhoni’s side will be looking to secure their spot in the semis and, in doing so, end Punjab’s tournament. Chennai has to do a lot wrong here tonight to spoil their Indian Premier League party, while Punjab will no doubt be ruthless in their quest for IPL survival.

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 – 13, Won – 7, Lost – 5, N/R – 1

The Super Kings already have one foot in the top four and are playing to cement their place at number two. However, a loss here would see them qualify at number four, just ahead of the Rajasthan Royals due to a better net run rate. Dhoni has come down hard on his bowlers for their poor showing against Kolkata when they failed to defend 189. Their fielding has also been a cause of concern and

Best Bet for Chennai Super Kings:

Matthew Hayden – 10/10
MS Dhoni – 9/10
Suresh Raina – 9/10
Albie Morkal – 8/10
Muttiah Muralitharan – 8/10

Kings XI Punjab

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 7, Lost – 6

It’s do or die here for Kings XI Punjab, they must win to advance to the IPL semi-finals. In their favour, Yuvraj Singh is having a good run with the ball, as is Irfan Pathan. Fiery speedster Brett Lee is also potential threat up front for the Super Kings batsmen. Sangakkara has struck form at the right time with the willow, however Punjab will hoping that Jayawardene recovers in time to bolster the order. They are in a roll at the moment after beating Delhi and Deccan, and have the potential to be a highly competitive side.

Best Bet for Kings XI Punjab:

Yuvraj Singh – 9/10
Kumar Sangakkara – 9/10
Brett Lee – 8/10
Irfan Pathan – 8/10
Simon Katich – 7/10

Knight Riders vs. Rajasthan Royals

The kamikaze Knight Riders (2.10) would like nothing more than to end the Rajasthan Royal’s (1.73) hopes of making the IPL final four with victory when the two sides clash in Durban tonight. The problem for Kolkata is, and has always been, their bowling in IPL 2009 and their attack looks very vulnerable against a determined Royals outfit. I’m tipping an epic hard fought encounter.

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

IPL match preview:

Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 10, Lost – 2, N/R – 1

An inspired run chase by the Knight Riders in their previous fixture against Chennai yet again highlighted the resilience of the Kolkata franchise. They would love to finish the group stage of the tournament with a win, and thereby dash Rajasthan’s hopes of making it into the IPL semi-finals. Brad Hodge and Brendon McCullum are in tremendous form.

Best Bet for Kolkata Knight Riders:

Brad Hodge – 9/10
Brendon McCullum- 9/10
David Hussey – 8/10
Ajit Agarkar – 7/10
Ishant Sharma -7/10

Rajasthan Royals

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 13, Won – 6, Lost – 6, N/R – 1

In contrast to their miraculous triumph in IPL 2008, the Rajasthan Royals have been totally off color throughout this tournament and now their chances of making the IPL semi-finals are slim – they need to defeat the Knight Riders by a huge margin and then hope Chennai loses badly to Kings XI Punjab. The result of the Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers clash will also affect their probability of advancing. Hard luck for Royals.

Best Bet for Rajasthan Royals:

Shane Warne – 9/10
Graeme Smith – 8/10
Yusuf Pathan – 8/10
Ravindra Jadeja – 8/10
Naman Ojha – 7/10

Royal Challengers vs. Delhi Daredevils

It’s crunch time for the Bangalore Royal Challengers (2.15) when they take on the Delhi Daredevils (1.70) at New Wanders in Johannesburg today. Needing successive wins from their remaining two games, the Challengers must first overcome the Indian Premier League’s most impressive franchise – a task that may prove to be just a little too much  for a side that has so far struggled to find consistency and form.

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 – 12, Won – 6, Lost – 6

To secure their place in the top four the Bangalore Royal Challengers must win both of their remaining matches, starting with today’s pivotal encounter against the IPL’s strongest team the Delhi Daredevils. The Challengers are coming out of a four day break which should see them fresh and battle ready, however, besides the Ross Taylor show, their batting remains an area of concern. They need Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to play the anchor roles, with the rest of the order hitting the big shots around them. Dale Steyn should be brought back in to test Delhi’s openers.

Best Bet for Bangalore Royal Challengers:

Rahul Dravid – 9/10
Anil Kumble- 9/10
Jacques Kallis – 9/10
Ross Taylor – 8/10
Dale Steyn -7/10

Delhi Daredevils

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 12, Won – 9, Lost – 3

The Daredevils would love to see their captain Virender Sehwag back in form before the knock-out stage of the tournament. Otherwise, the team is perfectly balanced and is playing almost flawless Twenty20 cricket. Delhi will be determined to keep their winning momentum going, as even a single loss can change a team’s fortunes dramatically in cricket’s baby version.

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:

Ashish Nehra – 9/10
Virender Sehwag – 8/10
AB DeVillers – 8/10
T Dilshan – 8/10
Amit Mishra – 8/10

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

Delhi Daredevils vs. Rajasthan Royals

With Shane Warne at the helm even the improbable seems possible for Rajasthan, making it hard to discount their chances even against the IPL’s top team. Despite having already booked their place in the top four, the Delhi Daredevils will be looking to make amends for their shock defeat at the hands of Punjab and, as they have proven time and again in Indian Premier League 2009, they are not a team to discount lightly.  

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 – 11, Won – 8, Lost – 3

Delhi’s confidence was shaken after a dismal performance with the bat against Kings XI Punjab, however the franchise can take comfort in the fact that they’ve already secured their spot in the IPL semi-finals. Will this be the day for old fox Glenn McGrath? 

Best Bet for Delhi Daredevils:

Dinesh Karthik – 9/10
T Dilshan – 8/10
Virender Sehwag – 8/10
Gautam Gambhir – 8/10
Daniel Vettori – 8/10

Rajasthan Royals

IPL 2009 so far: Played – 12, Won – 6, Lost – 5, N/R – 1

Not many of their core players are in good form, yet they have managed to stay in contention for a place in the final four. It’s now time for the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Graeme Smith and Naman Ojha to step up and contribute. Shane Warne displayed tremendous tenacity to take the field and help win their last match, despite an injury. He alone should be enough motivation for his boys to up their ante.

Best Bet for Rajasthan Royals:

Shane Warne – 9/10
Yusuf Pathan – 9/10
Graeme Smith – 8/10
Ravindra Jadeja – 8/10
Naman Ojha – 7/10

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