UAE to host 20 IPL games in first phase

 

The first phase of the IPL will have 20 matches in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai from April 16-30, the organisers have announced. The opening match of IPL 2014 will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on April 16 between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders.

It is understood the tournament launch will take place on April 15 in Abu Dhabi. According to the schedule released by the IPL, five of the 15 days of the first phase will be double-headers that will be played over the weekends. The first match will start at 2.30pm local time (1030 GMT, 1600 IST) and the evening game at 6.30pm (1430 GMT, 2000 IST).

The schedule was chalked out to allow each of the eight franchises to play at least once in all three cities, and also feature in at least one of the double-header weekends. Abu Dhabi and Dubai will host seven matches each while six games will be played in Sharjah.

The IPL was moved to an alternative venue after its schedule coincided with the Indian elections, slated to be held between April 17 and May 12, giving rise to security issues. While the primary objective of the IPL was to host the most number of matches in India, the Indian home ministry made it clear it would not be possible to provide the required security for the tournament during the elections.

However, a BCCI statement said that state administrations had responded to an initiative by the federal government and indicated their willingness to hold matches. This, the BCCI said, led it to believe that the IPL could be staged in India from the first week of May.

There were concerns about Sharjah as a venue, given its associations with match-fixing in the past, but assurances from the UAE government and cricket officials in the country were adequate for the BCCI to believe that the tournament could be conducted in a corruption-free manner.

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'Playing cricket in India is always incredible'

The former Pakistan allrounder enjoyed his first taste of the IPL when he turned out for the Kings XI Punjab this year

Your first IPL is over. A good one for you even though your side, Kings XI Punjab, just fell short of the playoffs. How did you find it?
I'm pleased with my performance in my first IPL, but I have been playing good cricket for the last few years now, in England, New Zealand and Bangladesh. You're always learning as a player, and although I'm 37 now it doesn't mean you just stop all of a sudden. You're always finding stuff out about the game.

The experience has been brilliant, unbelievable. The atmosphere was great, and everywhere you go - home and away - you're playing in front of full houses. The crowd is always loud and the fans are very passionate. Playing cricket in India is always incredible as they love the game so much.

I see playing as a bit like being an actor. As an actor you want people to come and see your film and that's just what it's like as a cricketer. The more people that come, the more it inspires me to do better and better. The packed houses gave me energy, which I thrived on. I play best in that kind of environment.

Kings XI's performances picked up once you got into the country after missing the first five games with your visa problems. Do you think about how well the team might have done if you had joined the side that little bit earlier?
We could have made the playoffs, but saying we would have if I'd arrived earlier is just ifs and buts - you can't reflect on what might have been. It was frustrating to miss out on a few games and I was relieved when I took to the field in the first game. As a side we played some good cricket and I had a wonderful time playing under Gilly [Adam Gilchrist]. We all know what he can do on the field as he's been a terrific player for many years, but off the field he's a great human being too. He made it a happy team to be a part of and as a group we were very close, which helps when it comes to playing out on the field.

You ended up as one of the IPL's best allrounders, with 186 runs at an average of 23.25 and 14 wickets at 23.5. Your economy was under eight too. Your contract was for one year but are you hopeful of getting back out there in 2013?
[Laughs] Hopefully, yes. I signed a one-year contract and I think they might want to try and keep me. It depends when we can negotiate a deal but Kings XI have the first right to keep me in their squad. After having such a good tournament, people want me, and I want to go out there and play again as I loved every single minute of it. They seemed to love me too, and I enjoyed being a part of their side. Allrounders are so valuable to the balance of the team, so hopefully we can sort something out.

I'm at the age now where I want to be playing cricket. I would much prefer to play and show what I can do than go somewhere and get paid the money and not play any games.

	"I see playing as a bit like being an actor. As an actor you want people to come and see your film and that's just what it's like as a cricketer. The more people that come, the more it inspires me to do better and better"

Chris Gayle made headlines for his batting but you picked up his wicket when you played the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It's the toughest question of all: how do you stop him?
He's a remarkable player, and he's shown that, but I know how to dry up his runs. I've bowled against him in the Bangladesh Premier League and in the IPL, and he's hit me for just one four. It's not easy but I know his strengths and I know his weaknesses, and when I bowl to his weaknesses, I know I can win the battle.

He doesn't try and hit every single ball. He picks the ones he wants to go for. He doesn't go from ball one, like some of the other batsmen.

How about solving one of the IPL's other mysteries - picking Sunil Narine. You didn't get to face him but what did you make of his performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders?
I don't think anyone can argue that he's a terrific talent. On a turning wicket he's basically unplayable. I stood behind the nets and watched him and I couldn't pick him at all. He can turn the ball both ways. I'm looking forward to seeing him in international cricket. There's no doubt that he is some kind of special talent who can go a long way in the game. It will be interesting to see how he goes. Some people might think he will fade out like Ajantha Mendis, but I think he might be different.

You went over to the IPL as an Englishman but there were relatively few of you out there. Owais Shah and Kevin Pietersen were the exceptions. Do you think more will follow as time goes by?
It's a tough one. It'd be nice to see more English players out there but that might not happen because of the international schedule, which is a shame. KP was amazing out in India. He made a stunning hundred, but he's been playing good cricket for a while now for England. The fans love him too.

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Indian engineer challenges D/L method

The ICC will meet to decide whether an engineer from India has simplified the system to determine a winner in rain-affected matches.

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New Dehli – An Indian engineer will learn Thursday whether his challenge to the English system for determining the winner of rain-affected cricket matches – one of the most complicated rules in the sport – has been successful.

The current method, devised by English statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis and known as the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) rule, was first introduced at the international level in 1996.

It uses mathematical formulas to calculate the winning target for the batting team when rain reduces playing time in limited-overs matches and was first adopted after World Cup rules made a mockery of the 1992 semi-final between England and South Africa in Sydney.

V. Jayadevan, an engineer in southern Kerala state, spent a decade working on his so-called VJD system, which has been used in Indian domestic matches since 2007 following a recommendation from batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.

The International Cricket Council will announce on Thursday if the VJD system will replace the Duckworth-Lewis method after discussions in London by the ICC’s cricket committee, headed by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd.

Jayadevan, a passionate statistician, calculates his chances of success in percentage terms.

“I think there is 90 percent hope if members read it patiently,” Jayadevan told AFP from his office in Thrissur.

“I will not be at the meeting because I was not invited, so I cannot immediately clear any doubts which a member may have. That is why I have taken away the remaining 10 percent chance,” he said.

Jayadevan insists his system of calculating revised targets is a vast improvement on the D/L method.

“Both are two different ways of approaching a problem, two different mathematical models,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with D/L system, but many times the targets set by it are not reasonable or sensible.

“In my report to the ICC, I have pointed out the mathematical and statistical flaws in the D/L system and how that has been corrected in my method.”

In the World Cup game that prompted the adoption of the D/L method, South Africa needed a gettable 22 runs off 13 balls before rain stopped play, but that became a ludicrous 21 off one ball when the match resumed.

In England, the challenge has been seen by some as another attempt by India, the game’s superpower, to chip away at the influence of England, the former colonial power and inventor of the game.

“There could be no more symbolic example of India’s challenge to surpass England in every aspect of cricket’s world order,” noted the Guardian newspaper. – Sapa-AFP

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Kolkata celebrates KKR's victory

Tens of thousands of people turned out on the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday to receive the Kolkata Knight Riders team, returning home as IPL winners. The political leadership, top actors and musicians, and the local cricket establishment - including former ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya - joined the team in the celebrations.

The team began with a five-kilometre open-top parade from the Hazra area of south Kolkata to Writers' Buildings, the seat of government; the crowds - estimated at more than 50,000 - were packed ten and sometimes 20 people deep, with many more on rooftops and balconies. After a short function there, the team headed for Eden Gardens, which had been thrown open to the public for free entry.

At Eden Gardens, almost every seat was occupied - a larger crowd than at most cricket matches. The ceremony there included the traditional presentation of scarves to the squad by the state's chief minister and the cutting of a cake. However, the event was marred by chaotic scenes at the end, with crowds being beaten back by baton-wielding policemen resulting in some injuries.

While most of the Knight Riders' overseas players left the squad at Chennai, Shakib Al Hasan remained behind, as did most of the coaching staff including head coach Trevor Bayliss and mental skills coach Rudi Webster.

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Kolkata take title after Bisla blitz

There was a galaxy of former Indian cricketers in attendance, the brightest lights from Bollywood were in the stands, both teams had some of the biggest stars in the world game but the headlining performance came from little-known Manvinder Bisla as Kolkata Knight Riders prised the IPL trophy out of Chennai Super Kings' hands. Bisla, who was without a Ranji Trophy side last season, made a mockery of his previous career Twenty20 strike-rate of 106 to play a jack-in-the-box innings that helped overhaul what had seemed a mountainous Super Kings total.

The title seemed headed Super Kings' way for the third year in a row, when for the third match in a row a seemingly out of form Super Kings batsman played a blinder - this time it was Suresh Raina - and the rock of Knight Riders' batting Gautam Gambhir was bowled in the first over.

All that changed when Bisla intervened. Virtually every ball he faced, he either jumped beyond leg to make room or danced down the track to get close to the pitch of the ball as he unleashed a series of lofted extra cover drives to dent Super Kings. The first signs of trouble for the defending champions was when Bisla crashed Albie Morkel for four off-side fours in the fourth over to kickstart Knight Riders's innings.

The experienced Jacques Kallis stroked the singles to allow Bisla most of the strike, and Bisla, getting a game ahead of the regular wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum, showed no signs of the pressure of a big occasion getting to him. A slower one from Dwayne Bravo was dispatched for six in the next over, and R Ashwin, who has played a leading role in Super Kings successes over the past three seasons, was hit over his head for a couple of classy sixes. After half an hour of Bisla's pyrotechnics, Knight Riders were the team in charge and even the usually unfazed MS Dhoni was giving a heated lecture to his team during the time-out.

A century seemed for the taking for Bisla, but he was undone by Morkel's slower one, holing out to point for 86. Kallis then switched from watchful to wallop. The decision to promote Laxmi Shukla to No. 4 failed, but Kallis played one of the shots of the match, a perfectly placed lofted drive that bisected extra cover and long-off for four. That was followed by a heart-in-the-mouth moment as Kallis swung the ball towards deep midwicket where Michael Hussey held on to a tough catch but couldn't prevent himself from going over the rope.

Yusuf Pathan's horrendous 2012 season came to a fitting end as he top-edged a sweep to be dismissed for 1. Ben Hilfenhaus, who took out Gambhir early and bowled a probing spell with the new ball, returned for his final over in the 19th and he injected more excitement into the game by getting a cramping Kallis to slice a catch to sweeper cover. Hilfenhaus undid that by bowling a full toss that was no-balled for height and following up with another full toss that was nervelessly scooped for four by Shakib Al Hasan.

The tournament entered its final over with Knight Riders needing nine. There were just two singles off the first two balls, including some panicky running, but Manoj Tiwary settled the five-season wait for a trophy with two boundaries behind square leg to spark scenes of wild celebrations.

It was the Chennai crowd that was celebrating for the first half of the game. M Vijay and Michael Hussey left people wondering whether Knight Riders had made a miscalculation by bringing in an ineffective Brett Lee for the final. They added 87 in the first half of the innings, raising visions of their 159-run opening stand that destroyed Royal Challengers Bangalore in last season's final.

Then Raina took over, playing his best innings of the season. Weak against the short ball? Raina's first boundary was a powerfully pulled six over midwicket off Kallis. The mystery of Sunil Narine? Raina slog-swept into the stands and later deposited the ball near the sightscreen as Narine was handed his most expensive figures of the tournament.

Despite the pounding from Super Kings, Knight Riders didn't fade in the field like Delhi Daredevils had two days ago. Their first breakthrough came courtesy an outstanding catch from Shakib in the deep, and there were plenty of dives in the outfield to prevent extra runs. The same never-say-die spirit carried them when they came out to bat as well.

Knight Riders showed why they had lost only two of their previous 12 matches, and also that they could win even if their star performers Gambhir and Narine had off days. In the reams of articles in the build-up to the final, there had been plenty written about those two, but virtually no one spoke about Bisla. "Manvinder Bisla who?" is not likely to be a question asked too often after this game, particularly in Kolkata, as a title finally arrived after five drama-filled seasons.

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CSK storm into third straight final: Vijay century overpowers Delhi

The questions everyone was asking after the toss were: why is the virtually unknown offspinner Sunny Gupta making his IPL debut in Delhi Daredevils' biggest game of the season and why was purple cap holder Morne Morkel dropped? The questions resonated through the game and will haunt the Daredevils management for long, as one of the biggest tactical goof-ups in IPL history meant another season of dominance at the league stage ended without a win in the playoffs.

M Vijay clubbed a century and Chennai Super Kings took their toll of the weakened Daredevils attack to run up the highest score of the tournament. The decision to leave out Morkel had been based partly on wanting to strengthen an already intimidating batting line-up but the target was too much to ask even of Daredevils' superstars.

Super Kings came into the competition boasting a batting unit littered with match-winners but they rarely clicked together in the league phase. In the playoffs, though, they have been a transformed side. Two days after mauling Mumbai Indians, their batsmen fired again leaving Daredevils bowlers utterly clueless. Gupta was taken for 47 in his three overs and Varun Aaron conceded 63 in his four, the most expensivefigures in IPL history.

Much of the punishment came at the hands of Vijay, who hasn't had the best of tournaments. A poor run at the start of the season left him with the unwanted distinction of being the only retained Indian player to be dropped in 2012. Super Kings backed him after leaving him out for a few games, and he repaid the faith with a big-match innings that has put them in their third final in a row.

The hammering started in the first over, as Gupta's first two deliveries were driven to the long-off boundary by Vijay. Normally a player who favours the leg-side, his lofted drives through the off side were the highlight of the innings. Even with Michael Hussey sensibly pushing the ball around and letting Vijay go for the big hits, Super Kings motored to 68 in eight overs.

Hussey fell soon after but by the time Virender Sehwag came on to bowl in the 11th, Vijay was unstoppable. That over kickstarted another phase of heavy scoring: first a six to midwicket that was brilliantly caught by Ross Taylor who stepped on the rope as he landed, then a powerful cut behind backward point for four, followed by a boundary to long-on and a six over cow corner. After that second six, Vijay was at such ease that he was sharing a joke with non-striker Suresh Raina. Two overs of mayhem later, when Vijay safely guided a ball to third man, he was gesticulating in frustration for having taken only a single off the delivery.

Daredevils didn't help matters with their shoddy catching. Sehwag was awfully leaden-footed to a miscue from Raina to cover while David Warner, possibly their best fielder, grassed MS Dhoni at long-on. The bowling from Daredevils wasn't particularly poor - there weren't too many hit-me full tosses or gifted-away deliveries down the leg side - but was merely run-of-the-mill length stuff that was no worry to Super Kings' marauders. Morne Morkel's control was sorely missed.

Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo played mini-versions of their powerhouse efforts against Mumbai Indians while Vijay went on to his century, which he celebrated with gusto pointing to the back of his shirt and showing his relief to put an indifferent run firmly behind him.

Facing with a massive target, Daredevils had another surprise in store: for the first time this season, Sehwag didn't open. Mahela Jayawardene came out at the top of the order and, though he stuck around for a characteristically elegant half-century, the game was virtually done within the fourth over of the chase as both Sehwag and David Warner were dismissed.

Super Kings' batting may grab all the headlines, but their fielding has also been top-class this season, highlighted by Vijay's sharp catch to dismiss Warner and then the running take by Hussey to send back Sehwag.

Ross Taylor slogged a couple of sixes over midwicket but his over-reliance on that stroke cost him as he miscued a wide delivery to mid-on. Jayawardene was left with too much to do, and after he was bowled after missing a reverse-sweep, there was no one to stop Daredevils from sliding to the biggest defeat of the season.

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Do Delhi have big-match temperament?

Virender Sehwag and Delhi Daredevils are in a familiar position. Like this year, they had utterly dominated the 2009 season, before their mighty batting line-up faltered in the semi-final, much like their flop against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday. This time though, with the changed format, they get a second opportunity.

One of Daredevils' puzzling decisions in the game against Knight Riders was to send in Ross Taylor as low as No. 7, below even teenager Pawan Negi, who is in the side primarily as a left-arm spinner and isn't known for his batting exploits. TA Sekar, Daredevils' team mentor, said the team had reassessed its batting order the game; so Taylor can expect to bat at a more customary position on Friday.

Chennai Super Kings are also in a familiar position. Once again, they seem to be at their best in the final stages of the tournament. After several days of nervously watching other teams' results go their way, Super Kings looked unstoppable when they took apart Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.

They have always looked like the team with the greatest depth in their batting, and that was amply demonstrated against Mumbai Indians. Even after losing M Vijay and the IPL's highest run-scorer Suresh Raina as early as the second over, their crisis men Michael Hussey and S Badrinath stabilised the innings, before the flamboyance of MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo switched the innings mode from build to blast. Even without using the heavy-hitting of Albie Morkel, even against the bowling of Lasith Malinga, Super Kings ran up 187 and coasted to victory.

The trouble for Super Kings is that they need to bring their A game three times in five days, to beat each of other three playoff teams, if they are to make it a hat-trick of titles. They have done it once. Can they do it a second time on Friday?

Form guide

(most recent first) 

Chennai Super Kings: WLWWW
Delhi Daredevils: LWLWL

Players to watch

In five years of the IPL, Mahela Jayawardene is yet to win a playoff match. He's only had two chances: once in 2008, when Kings XI Punjab were thrashed by Super Kings, and then the defeat to Knight Riders earlier this week. In addition, his form this season hasn't matched the high standard expected of him. In successive World Cups, Jayawardene has shown his ability to lift his game for the big occasion, something Daredevils would love him to do over the next three days.

Ben Hilfenhaus has taken over from Doug Bollinger as Super Kings' Australian fast bowler of choice. He's played seven matches since his arrival from the West Indies, and hasn't gone wicketless even once. After Dwayne Smith clubbed a succession of boundaries off Hilfenhaus to steal a last-ball victory, Hilfenhaus showed his temperament by bouncing back with consecutive Man-of-the-Match performances. Besides the outswinger which serves him well even in the longer formats, he has a quick bouncer, an accurate yorker and he likes to bowl full and wide to stifle batsmen. He accounted for both Sehwag and David Warner in the last game against Daredevils. Can he do it again?

Team combination

Super Kings don't like to tinker with their team composition, re-securing their core players even during the re-shuffle before the 2011 season. They have used only 17 players this year, the least by a franchise, showing how much they like a settled side. After Shadab Jakati's tight spell in the previous game with the new ball, expect him to retain his place. The only question for them is whether to retain M Vijay, or to pick S Anirudha if he is fit.

Daredevils will have to ponder whether to play an extra spinner in Chennai, or stick to their preferred pace-heavy attack. Irfan Pathan had injured his hand while attempting a return catch in the game against Knight Riders, but team mentor Sekar said Irfan was fit to play on Friday.

Meetings this season

Both encounters this season have been one-sided: Daredevils won by eight wickets at the Kotla after four run-outs undermined Super Kings, and less than two weeks ago Hilfenhaus ran through the Daredevils top order to set up a straightforward five-wicket victory at Chepauk.

Stats and trivia

• Suresh Raina has scored only 341 runs this season, his lowest tally in any IPL
• Morne Morkel is three wickets away from equalling Malinga's record of 28 wickets in an IPL season
• For stats on Super Kings' spinners' struggles at home, click here

Quotes

"We have a team that is better suited to the conditions in Chennai. We have seamers who are adequate but not startling."
Stephen Fleming, coach of the Chennai Super Kings, expects the Chepauk surface to help the spinners in the side

"Ross got a 21-ball fifty against Royal Challengers in Bangalore. He showed his class there and I think he is in a good space and I think he should fire tomorrow."
TA Sekar isn't too worried about Taylor's form

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Free-spenders can't buy consistency

Despite splashing money this season, Mumbai Indians were rarely at the top of their game and most of their wins came through last-over heists

Fourth. A disappointment as it's a lower finish than last year despite the vast amounts spent on refurbishing the squad, including getting three solid Indian IPL performers to plug perceived weaknesses.

Key player

Once again Lasith Malinga was a stand-out performer, particularly in the first half of the season. His form tailed off a touch towards the end of the campaign and he finished with his worst IPL performance of 2012, leaking 41 as MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo went on the rampage in Bangalore. Still, he was indisputably their go-to bowler, and 22 wickets at an economy of 6.30 show why. The cocktail of yorkers, bouncers and slower balls continued to bamboozle batsmen, and underscored why he remains among the finest Twenty20 bowlers around.

Bargain buy

Not too many candidates for this category, as Mumbai Indians' cheaper acquisitions in the auction didn't get too many games. Perhaps Dwayne Smith, who joined a month into the tournament in place of the injured Mitchell Johnson, fits the bill. He made a dramatic entry, thumping Ben Hilfenhaus for six, four and four off the last three balls of the match to snatch victory over Chennai Super Kings. There was also an unbroken 163-run stand with Sachin Tendulkar, against Rajasthan Royals, in his first innings as an opener.

Flop buy

Dinesh Karthik was brought in from Kings XI Punjab for a reported $2.35m and though he gave Mumbai Indians the solidity they lacked last season behind the stumps, he failed to put in any match-turning performances with the bat. Given plenty of chances at No. 4, Karthik provided neither the stability when the top order failed nor the power-hitting towards the end of the innings. One of only four Mumbai Indians players to take part in every game of the campaign, he finished with a disappointing 238 runs with a strike rate of 111.73.

Highlights

The opening match of the season featured the two pre-tournament favourites and was a game Mumbai Indians completely dominated: Super Kings' intimidating batting line-up was dismantled for 112 before South African Richard Levi's quick half-century on IPL debut completed the demolition. Another highlight was the victory at Eden Gardens that snapped Kolkata Knight Riders seven-game unbeaten run, with Rohit Sharma providing a reminder of his talent with a silken century. Their tenacious defence of 120 against Pune Warriorsunderlined their never-say-spirit in a season where they won six matches in the final over.

Lowlight

Undoubtedly, the surrender at home to Delhi Daredevils, when they capsized to the lowest total of the season. They were thrashed in a couple of other matches as well, but there's a difference to being blown away by an assault from the likes of Chris Gayle or MS Dhoni, to the defeat against Daredevils. The game began with Davy Jacobs' 10-ball duck, a leading contender for worst innings of the tournament, and hardly improved. At 44 for 6, there were in line for the unwanted record of being bowled out for the smallest total in IPL history.

Verdict

Every year Mumbai Indians seem to fortify their squad, but every season they have ended up short. The arrival of Karthik, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha seemingly provided them with the strongest Indian contingent of any side in the tournament, but that was offset by mediocre seasons for two of their retained players, Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh.

Finding a destructive opening partner for the staid Tendulkar (by Twenty20 standards) proved vexing, as the South Africans Levi and Jacobs failed, as did Australia's Aiden Blizzard and Herschelle Gibbs was injured for much of the tournament. Mumbai Indians ended up trying eight different combinations, with only the James Franklin-Tendulkar combination getting more than three matches together.

The tinkering continued lower down the order as Mumbai Indians struggled to find four in-form overseas players. Several of them made a splash in their first game before fading away - Levi, Robin Peterson, Gibbs and even Smith till he was made to open. A settled combination was elusive, and Mumbai Indians tried as many as 24 players in all, the most by a franchise this season along with Deccan Chargers. In contrast, other successful teams used far fewer players: Kolkata Knight Riders (18) and Chennai (17).

The team did well in the leagues stages with plenty of back-from-the-dead wins but there weren't enough dominating performances by either the team or the individuals - only Rohit Sharma made it to the top 15 run-getters of the season and Lasith Malinga to the 15 most economical bowlers (min 20 overs)

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Yusuf is a magical player' - Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders captain, has said that the side's decision to keep the faith in their "core group" of players, including Yusuf Pathan, has been a factor in their strong performance this season. Yusuf, who had a series of low scores throughout this IPL, came good in the first qualifier against Delhi Daredevils on Tuesday, his unbeaten 40 off 21 deliveries crucial in taking Knight Riders to the final.

"After we lost to Chennai Super Kings, at Eden Gardens, I was asked why I stick to the core group of players… the answer is, because I want them to believe that I have complete faith in them," Gambhir said after the qualifier. "Only that can boost them to give their best. That only will make them stand up to these tough challenges. I was also asked why I persist with Yusuf Pathan. I have always said that he is a magical player and that he will come good when it would matter the most. I was proved right today."

Mahela Jayawardene, the Daredevils batsman, said that the partnership between Yusuf and Laxmi Shukla - 56 runs in four overs - took the game away from his side. "In a Twenty20 game, it is tough to say anyone is out of form," Jayawardene said. "I think there was a great platform for him [Yusuf] to come and play his natural game, which is hitting the ball clean. Our guys bowled a few good yorkers. When they did not hit those zones marginally, he hit a few good [shots]. Laxmi batted really well too. I think his cameo gave Yusuf the confidence to go after our guys."

Gambhir said that after their narrow loss to Kings XI Punjab, Knight Riders could have dropped players, which he was not in favour of. "We could have easily chopped and changed when we lost to Kings XI. We could have easily made harsh decisions but it is important [to] stick to the core group of players and make them believe that everyone backs them. Maybe that's one of the reasons we have done well.

"The players who are there in the KKR dressing room are there because I have complete faith in them. Whoever sits in the dressing room, I completely back them. That is why they are part of KKR.

"Everyone has been talking about Yusuf and Manoj Tiwary, but the way Manoj batted in Mumbai, those 40 [41] runs he made were as important as any runs in the tournament. I have always mentioned that those small contributions make you win games. For me Shukla's contribution [24 not out off 11] made the difference [in the qualifier]. It is not about someone getting 60 or 70 at the top of the order. It is about someone who comes lower down the order or someone like Rajat Bhatia who can bowl two-three overs at a good economy-rate."

When asked about Brett Lee missing out on the playing XI, Gambhir said that no one was bigger than the team. "It is about the best XI that is going to go out and win the game for us. It is not about Brett Lee. It is not about individuals. From me to Jacques Kallis to no one. If I feel that I am not hitting the ball well and there is someone else who can do the job for KKR, I will be the first one sitting out. It will always be about KKR when I am [in charge]."

Brendon McCullum, the Knight Riders wicketkeeper and former captain, called Gambhir an "outstanding" leader, saying that he had led from the front. "He is very soft-spoken in the changing room and around the group, and on the field he leads through performance and through actions," McCullum told IPLT20.com. "Technically, he has been very good and has used Sunil Narine incredibly well and he has got a lot out of the other guys as well. He has been excellent as a captain so far."

Gambhir, McCullum's opening partner, has been Knight Riders' best batsman by some distance this season, making six half-centuries compared to the three fifties the rest of his batsmen have scored in all. "He has been hitting the ball as well as anyone in the tournament," McCullum said. "I, from the other end, try to give him strike - that is probably the reverse of the roles that we thought of at the start of the tournament. I can't take credit [for] the partnerships where he has played beautifully and made my work easy, and I just try to hang in around and get him on strike."

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Dhoni assault knocks out Mumbai

Chennai Super Kings seem to thrive in times of difficulty. At one point in this season, they were hanging by a thread to stay alive and now they're just two wins away from a third straight title. They didn't flinch after losing two wickets in two balls in the second over, they didn't allow a few quick wickets in the latter half of their innings to affect the tempo built by an impressive counterattack. Instead, they took the fightback to a higher level, led by their captain MS Dhoni, whose blistering assault left Mumbai Indians scarred on their way out of the competition. Super Kings' determination and tenacity proved too much for Mumbai Indians, a promising campaign ending in disappointment.

Asked to bat on one of the most productive tracks this season, Michael Hussey and S Badrinath rode on some fortune to help their team recover from trouble and Dhoni then assumed that attacking avatar that had made him a sensation when he hit the international scene. The efforts of those three, together with Dwayne Bravo's late surge boosted Super Kings just as Mumbai Indians dropped their guard with the ball. Only Dwayne Smith's early attack in the chase gave them some hope, but that didn't last long.

Some late swing played a hand in Dhawal Kulkarni's two early strikes and Harbhajan Singh was miserly with the new ball, but Hussey and Badrinath took the challenge head on. Both were initially fortunate to find boundaries off edges with the seamers still finding some movement. But they also middled a few, and found the gaps consistently despite the field being pushed back after the Powerplay. Both drove well, Badrinath cracking Kulkarni past mid-off and Hussey creaming Lasith Malinga through extra cover. When Harbhajan brought his medium-pacers on - his ploy to shuffle the bowling backfired - Super Kings ensured the flow remained unaffected. Kieron Pollard was pulled for two fours in an over, the 10th of the innings, after the first timeout - the cue, presumably, for Super Kings to step up further.

Harbhajan was himself smashed for two sixes before Hussey took RP Singh for two boundaries. The first four overs after the timeout yielded 47. Hussey, Badrinath and Ravindra Jadeja, however, fell in a space of 11 deliveries, but the last eight overs of the innings were to produce 105 runs.

The man largely responsible for that was Dhoni, who flicked his first ball for four over midwicket. Though he has come to exercise far more restraint in his batting, the approach today betrayed no signs of that recent tendency to accumulate steadily before opening up. To his advantage, Mumbai Indians doled out a spate of length balls that he wasn't willing to spare. James Franklin was dispatched over long-on for the biggest six of this tournament, Kulkarni was thrashed down the ground and past cover, and he even had time to make room and cart RP over extra cover.

The stand-out shot was his favourite whiplash, imparting tremendous force against a length ball from Malinga that found itself in the deep-midwicket stand. Bravo, in that penultimate over, launched Malinga - who bowled his most expensive spell of this season - over midwicket and extra cover before finishing off with two sixes off Kulkarni. One of them was battered flat over wide long-off, the power and disdain behind the shot summing up the domination of bat over ball in those late overs.

Some of that contempt for the bowling was also on display in Smith's early ambush of Ben Hilfenhaus - the same bowler who was taken for 14 off the last three balls by Smith in Mumbai Indians' thrilling win in an earlier meeting. He used his wrists well, pulled, flicked, swept and found the boundary with ease in a quick opening stand of 47.

But Shadab Jakati, brought in for this game in place of seamer Yo Mahesh, bowled with discipline at the other end. He bowled a tight line, and his fielders backed him up well. Some superb fielding by Jadeja at point caused a mix-up between Smith and Tendulkar, who was run out, and Smith soon followed, spooning a catch in the same region. Albie Morkel, who got some away movement, had Dinesh Karthik and Rohit Sharma nicking to the keeper, and Ambati Rayudu fell slog-sweeping against R Ashwin. When Franklin was dismissed in the 14th over with 84 still to get, the task was even beyond Pollard. Mumbai Indians' depth in batting promised a close fight, but the pressure of a big chase in a must-win game proved too big to overcome.

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Mumbai face dangerous Chennai in knockout clash

Match facts

Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

Such is the knockout format of the IPL that a side that won eight and lost seven games during the league stage now has a chance to win the tournament. When as many as four out of nine teams - eight during the first three seasons - make the playoffs, such things are bound to happen. Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions, happen to be that side this season.

It is not Super Kings' problem that the format is such. While they have had to depend on three other teams messing up their qualification chances this season, the fact is that those three sides did mess up. And Super Kings would still not have qualified had they not won a few games from seemingly hopeless positions. Against Rajasthan Royals, they needed 43 from 22 deliveries. Against Royal Challengers Bangalore, they needed 43 from 12.

Mumbai Indians, the Champions League Twenty20 2011 winners, may have won ten games, but as always, haven't quite dominated as much as a side with so much quality should have. They have had their share of come-from-behind wins as well, including chasing 172 after being 51 for 5 against Royal Challengers.

Mumbai Indians have scored their runs at 7.43 an over; Super Kings at 7.85. Mumbai Indians have gone for 7.54 an over; Super Kings for 7.58. There is not much to choose between the two on these parameters. On a Bangalore pitch, which has been the best this season for batting, with a scoring-rate rate of 8.31 an over, Mumbai Indians' powerful line-up gives them a slight edge, as does their tendency to contain by taking wickets rather than choking the opposition batsmen.

These sides played the 2010 IPL final, which Super Kings won by 22 runs after Mumbai Indians adopted some strange tactics, sending Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh ahead of Ambati Rayudu, JP Duminy and Kieron Pollard. Whatever their form going into the playoffs, no side plays the crunch games better than Super Kings.

Form guide

Chennai Super Kings: LWWWL (most recent first)
Mumbai Indians: WLWWL

Players to watch

Suresh Raina, the highest run-getter in the IPL, has made 341 runs this season, but they have come at a strike-rate of 126.76, as against a Twenty20 career strike-rate close to 140. The sight of him heaving sixes over midwicket in the yellow Super Kings uniform has been a fixture throughout the five seasons of the IPL. Will he help them avoid elimination tomorrow?

Kieron Pollard has had a productive season, making 204 runs at 145.71 and picking up 15 wickets at 7.93. Add to that his sharp fielding and safe catching. He had come in at No. 8 in that 2010 final with the game almost lost by then. What will he do in the 2012 eliminator?

During his Man-of-the-Match performance against Delhi Daredevils in Chennai, Ben Hilfenhaus uprooted Virender Sehwag's off stump with a late outswinger in the first over, and three balls later, dismissed David Warner. Michael Hussey has said that the new ball will be crucial in Bangalore. That adds more importance to Hilfenhaus' role.

Team combination

Dwayne Smith's explosiveness with the bat - demonstrated earlier this season when he had three balls from Ben Hilfenhaus to score the 14 needed for victory, and did - should get him into the XI. Lasith Malinga and Pollard are guaranteed starters. Who will get the fourth overseas player's spot - James Franklin or Herschelle Gibbs? With so many hitters in the line-up, it makes sense to go for the all-round skills of Franklin. Their latest opening combination, Sachin Tendulkar and Smith, worked for Mumbai Indians against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. Will Smith partner Tendulkar again on Wednesday?

With MS Dhoni playing both the overseas allrounders, Dwayne Bravo and Albie Morkel, whenever they've been available, two spots remain. Hilfenhaus, who has been outstanding apart from those three deliveries to Smith, should take one place. Will Super Kings choose their highest run-getter of the season, Faf du Plessis, over the seasoned Michal Hussey? Ideally not.

Meetings this season

In the opening game of this season, Super Kings collapsed to 112 in Chennai, and Richard Levi shut them out with a fifty on IPL debut. It was Mumbai Indians' turn to collapse, from 134 for 1 to 159 for 8, at the Wankhede Stadium, before Smith's last-over assault got them home.

Stats and trivia

• Super Kings have the best win-loss ratio in the IPL - 1.45. Mumbai Indians are next with 1.34.
• Mumbai Indians have taken the most wickets in the IPL - 480.
• Michael Hussey has the highest batting average for Super Kings - 39.76.
  Quotes
  "We've stumbled through a number of times to get into the semi-finals. I remember when Dhoni hit two sixes against [Kings XI] Punjab a couple of years ago, that was the difference in finishing fourth and in finishing sixth or seventh. You can look at it as a lucky way, because other teams were defeated in the last few games. But we were able to get enough points in all of our matches leading up to the finals."
  Chennai Super Kings' batsman Michael Hussey

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Kolkata in IPL final for first time

After four seasons of at times embarrassing underachievement, Kolkata Knight Riders will play for the IPL trophy on Sunday. For almost two-thirds of the qualifier against Delhi Daredevils, they nearly blew it, though the odds were stacked in their favour right from the start. On a pitch where the first ball of spin turned sharply, Knight Riders had three spinners waiting; Delhi Daredevils stuck to playing three specialist fast bowlers.

Daredevils' strategy did not seem to have backfired when Knight Riders lumbered to 106 for 4 in 16 overs. In the chase, despite losing Virender Sehwag and David Warner in the first 13 balls, Daredevils were right in the hunt at 83 for 2 after 10 overs. But like they had suddenly bolted away in the last four overs of their innings, Knight Riders choked Daredevils in the latter half of the chase. Daredevils did not help their cause, sending Pawan Negi ahead of Ross Taylor, who finally came in at No. 7 when the asking-rate was more than 14 an over.

The late boost that carried Knight Riders to a challenging total on the difficult pitch came from the unlikeliest quarters. Yusuf Pathan, who had done almost nothing the entire season, and Laxmi Shukla, playing in place of an unfit Manoj Tiwary, carted the quicks for 56 off the final four overs, and 36 off the final two, as Knight Riders surged to 162.

Gautam Gambhir had once again given Knight Riders a strong start, taking the fast bowlers for several boundaries. He had sped to 32 off 16 deliveries before he failed to make his ground to a direct hit from mid-off after having backed up too far. Not for the first time after Gambhir's departure, Knight Riders lost their way. Only 58 runs came off the next ten overs as Negi, the left-arm spinner, and Irfan Pathan strangled the batsmen.

Just when it seemed Knight Riders had wasted Gambhir's efforts upfront, Yusuf and Shukla launched into the quicks, who did not let up on the pace. Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav kept bowling in the late 140s with Morne Morkel not far behind. But the faster they bowled, the ball only came on better on the slow pitch.

Yusuf began the assault in the 17th over, carting a Morkel length ball for a straight six. Shukla took the lead in the 19th, making room to loft Morkel over extra cover for four and pulling him over deep square leg for six. It was to get worse for Daredevils in the last over. David Warner dropped Yusuf as he ran across from long-on and ended up parrying it for six. Yusuf cover-drove and flicked the last two deliveries for fours.

The core of the attack that had taken Daredevils to No. 1 position after the league stage had been taken apart. Yadav and Morkel went for 37 each, Aaron for 48, including 21 in that final over.

The last thing Daredevils needed at that stage was a rough decision, and pat it came in the second over of the chase. Warner, who had just smashed Shakib Al Hasan for six over long-on, missed the next ball as he pushed forward, but was given out caught by umpire Billy Doctrove as the ball popped up to the wicketkeeper off the pad. Sehwag departed next ball, edging an attempted cut off the impressive L Balaji to the keeper.

Just when it seemed Daredevils had done themselves in even before Sunil Narine came on, Naman Ojha and Mahela Jayawardene responded with the highest stand of the match. The duo took Shakib, who had a forgettable game, for 15 runs in the fourth over. Bowling too quick to get any bite from the surface, Shakib was lofted inside-out and down the ground for two fours and a six.

Though the general lack of pace in the Knight Riders attack started to make its presence felt, Ojha and Jayawardene kept the runs coming. The duo was in control when Ojha cut a long hop from Bhatia straight to Gambhir at backward point. A few tight overs and Venugopal Rao's struggle further increased the pressure on Jayawardene. The threat of Narine, who gave just seven runs in his first two overs, forced him to attack the other bowlers, eventually leading to him being stumped off Abdulla in the 15th over.

With 55 needed off 32, Sehwag sent in Negi ahead of Taylor, who hit his third ball from Narine for six over wide long-on. But it was too late by then. Daredevils have another chance to get it right in the second qualifier on Friday.

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Pace v spin as teams target first final

Match facts

Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders have easily been the best sides this IPL. It is not only the points table which tells you that. The other two sides in the playoffs have not been as dominant. Mumbai Indians have won as many games as Knight Riders have, but have not been remotely as clinical; Chennai Super Kings have had to rely on other sides' messing up to sneak in.

Neither Daredevils nor Knight Riders have made it to an IPL final before. One of them will do that tomorrow. Daredevils have traversed the entire length of the points table this season, ending on top following their last-place finish in 2011. Realising that their batting was too dependent on Virender Sehwag last season, they brought in heavyweights like Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor. While Taylor has almost sleepwalked through the season, Pietersen's impact while he was available was huge. The arrival of David Warner has filled the void left behind by Pietersen and Jayawardene has been steady.

Knight Riders' transformation from the side once led by Sourav Ganguly is now complete. They were the target of numerous jokes for the first three IPL seasons but no one's laughing now. A run of eight consecutive defeats in 2009 has given way to six consecutive wins this season. Had Knight Riders not blown a middling chase against Kings XI Punjab at home, they would have won nine in a row.

A heavy-duty Daredevils line-up is up against the only attack to go for less than seven runs an over this season. The venue tilts the contest slightly in favour of Knight Riders. The pitch at the Sahara Stadium in Pune has been a tricky one for batsmen, as Pune Warriors' Robin Uthappa pointed out. "It's the toughest wicket we have played in the country and it's very difficult to score runs here," Uthappa said. Only Wankhede Stadium, among the regular venues, has had a lower run-rate this season, 7.11, than Pune, 7.34.

Knight Riders defended 136 quite comfortably against Warriors a couple of days ago in Pune. Daredevils had chased down 147 in 16 overs against Warriors in Pune. Should be some contest tomorrow. The loser will get another match on Friday to make the final.

Form guide

Delhi Daredevils: WLWLW (most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: WWLLW

Players to watch

Despite the presence of other big guns, Daredevils have still relied, though to a lesser extent than previous season, on Virender Sehwag. Their captain has responded with 484 runs at a strike-rate of 164.62, including five consecutive half-centuries. The slowness of the Pune pitch had made no difference to Sehwag when he took the Warriors bowlers for an unbeaten 87 off 48 balls. Will he smash Sunil Narine tomorrow, like he said he would have done had he not got out early when these two sides last met?

Twenty-two wickets at 5.14 runs an over. Sunil Narine has been nearly unplayable, with even Sachin Tendulkar failing to pick him. It is very difficult to decipher from his release whether it is an offspinner or the flicked carrom ball, unlike in the cases of Ajantha Mendis and even R Ashwin. How will Daredevils tackle him?

That Gautam Gambhir has made six fifties this season and the rest of his team-mates put together have managed three says it all. Knight Riders, though, have managed to win their previous two games without a big contribution from their captain. Gambhir has made lots of runs this season on pitches where scoring them has not been easy. Will he manage to click again?

Team combination

Warner, Jayawardene and Morne Morkel should take three overseas player spots. Will Daredevils risk playing Taylor as the fourth? Will they stick with the allrounder Andre Russell, who went for 51 runs in their previous game? Or will they play Roelof van der Merwe for an additional spin option? They went in with two Indian left-arm spinners Pawan Negi and Shahbaz Nadeem when they played Warriors in Pune.

Knight Riders could stick to the same side that won in Pune and Mumbai, with plenty of spin options in Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Iqbal Abdulla and Yusuf Pathan.

Meetings this season

Daredevils won a rain-affected game by eight wickets in Kolkata. Knight Riders restricted Daredevils to 153 in Delhi in the return match and won by six wickets with Brendon McCullum making a fifty. Jayawardene and Gambhir had a heated altercation in that game after the former was given not out when he edged Jacques Kallis to the wicketkeeper.

Stats and trivia

• Knight Riders have scored the least runs this season as a team, 2150 in 15 games compared to Daredevils' 2365 in 16.
• Knight Riders have conceded just 6.99 runs an over, by far the lowest this season. The next best are Mumbai Indians, who have gone for 7.54. Daredevils have given away 7.73.
• Warner and Sehwag have the highest strike-rates this season, 172.02 and 164.62 (min 100 runs)
  Quotes
  "I told everyone 'give this line-up a year or so and we will dominate,' and that's exactly what we have done."
  Morne Morkel isn't surprised by Daredevils' improvement this season

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