It's Dhoni's day again

Today, First IPL finals qualifier match was played between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings at Wankhade stadium, Mumbai. The toss was won by MS Dhoni and he chose to field first.

Royal Challengers Bangalore was looking more destructive when Chris Gayle was on the crease, but today was not the day for the big man. He departed after hitting a six leaving RCB in jeopardy. Later on Virat Kohli added some magnificent runs and made RCB to put up a total of 175 runs on board.


This total was not a great one as the pitch was well known for hitting biggies. CSK in 19.4 overs, chased their target successfully. The man behind the win was Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel. In the 19th over, 3 sixes was the sole reason for RCB's loss. CSK won the match by 6 wickets and 2 balls to spare.

Now CSK are into the IPL 2011 finals. This is their 3rd entry to the IPL finals. RCB have lost the qualifier match, so now they have to face the winners of MI vs KKR match. If RCB wins, then RCB will face CSK in finals else, the winners from MI vs. KKR match will be facing CSK in finals.

RCB are on top...... :-)

Yesterday's IPL match was very crucial for the top 4 four teams. The top four teams before the match were,
1. Chennai Super Kings
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore
3. Mumbai Indians
4. Kolkata Knight Riders

Before their 14th IPL match, it was already known that these 4 teams are into playoffs. Now the fight was to get into first 2 positions to gain advantage. If they could not, atleast they should get into first 3 positions to get an entry to Champions League. It was already known that RCB and CSK are into Champions League even if they loose the match. There were so many combinations possible like, if CSK wins, RCB will end up 3rd. if CSK looses, RCB comes first and CSK ends up 2nd only if their net run rate is better than MI. On the other hand, If KKR wins against MI, they have chances to get into 2nd or 3rd position depending upon how CSK looses against RCB. If MI wins, KKR ends up 4th position there by missing Champions League this time.

Yesterday first match was played between RCB and CSK. CSK put up a total of 128 runs only as they could not face RCB's bowling attack. It was skipper MS Dhoni who helped to put up this total. He quick fired to score 70 runs in just 40 deliveries that included 3 fours and 6 sixes. For RCB this total was not that challenging. Chris Gayle who is at top form scored a magnificent 75 runs in just 50 deliveries that included 4 fours and 6 sixes. He was unbeaten till the end of the innings. RCB scored 129 runs in 18 overs and won the match by 8 wickets. After this win there was a swap in the ranking RCB were back on top and CSK on 2nd.

In the second match, KKR played well a put up a total of 175 runs on board. All the batsmen contributed runs which helped in building in this total. In reply to this, MI also played equally good and chased the target successfully in the last delivery of the innings. There was one over from Lakshmipathy Balaji where he conceded 21 runs in just 6 deliveries which turned the match in favor of MI. MI won the match by 5 wickets. After the second match, the rankings table remained same with RCB topping the table.

Airtel Champions League

On Wednesday, IPL champions of the year 2010 Chennai Super Kings won the match against the warriors by 10 runs and entered the semi-finals. It was an very close match where the target given for the Warriors was just 136 runs. Chennai Super Kings failed to put up a very good total in that particular match as the batsmen fail to play well. But the bowlers especially the spinners bowled well in this particular match which helped them to restrict the Warriors to score only 126 runs in total. Due to this victory, Victorian Bushrangers lost their chance of getting into the semi-finals. Both Warriors and Chennai Super Kings have entered into the semi-finals from Group A.

In Group B, Southern Redbacks top the table by winning all the 4 matches and Royal Challengers Banglaore somehow made into the semi-finals after their second victory in this Champions League. Mumbai Indians, Highveld Lions and Royal Challengers all share same 4 points on the table. Due to the net run rate, Royal Challengers Bangalore found their place in the semi-finals. Now Chennai Super Kings from Group A will be facing the Royal Challengers Bangalore from Group B in the semis and Southern Redbacks will be fighting against the Warriors. This is the first time that an IPL team has entered the Champions League semi-finals and more over 2 teams has been entered in one shot. RCB facing CSK will be a very big match as they both are IPL teams. The first semis match between CSK and RCB will be played today at Kingsmead, Durban. The second semis between SRB and WAR will be played tomorrow at Centurion, Tshwane.

Being the die hard fan of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, i want my team RCB to win the match played against the CSK and make it to the finals.

Deccan Chargers won against Royal Challengers Bangalore

Deccan Chargers played their 10th IPL season 3 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. It was a home match for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Deccan Chargers won the toss & put Royal Challengers Bangalore to bat first.
Royal Challengers Bangalore started their batting innings with the openers Manish Pandey & the man with the orange cap, Jacques Kallis. Manish Pandey was out in the 3rd over scoring just 1 run from 6 balls. Rahul Dravid made a partnership of 42 runs with Jacques Kallis & got out scoring 26 runs from 25 balls. After this wicket, Bangalore lost 2 more wickets which was a big blow for the team. But, everything changed as Virat Kohli played a magnificent innings contributing 58 runs to the team which included 4 fours & 4 sixes. After 20 overs, Royal Challengers scored 184 runs loosing six wickets. Cameron White was unbeaten who scored 13 runs in just 3 balls which included 2 sixes. Deccan Chargers economical bowler was Pragyan Ojha whose economy rate was 6 runs per over taking 2 wickets.
Deccan Chargers started their chase of the target 185 runs with the openers Adam Gilchrist & Monish Mishra. Monish Mishra was out in the first delivery of 3rd over, he scored 9 runs from 11 deliveries. Adam Gilchrist & Thirumalsetti Suman made good partnership & contributed 77 runs to the team before loosing Adam Gilchrist in 11th over. Rohit Sharma did not survive as he was out in the 12th over. After this big blow, Andrew Symonds gave the entry to the stumps which was the only hope for Deccan Chargers. Suman & Symonds played their best till the end to win the match for Deccan Chargers. Deccan Chargers by 19.2 overs scored 186 runs thereby winning the match by 7 wickets. This was their 4th victory in the IPL season 3. Thirumalsetti Suman scored unbeaten 78 from 57 deliveries which included 6 fours & 3 sixes, meanwhile Andrew Symonds was unbeaten scoring 53 runs from just 24 deliveries which included 5 fours & 3 sixes.
Man of the match was Thirumalsetti Suman for his unbeaten 78 runs which helped Deccan Chargers to win the match.

Delhi Daredevils won the match by 37 runs

Delhi Daredevils played their home match against the visitors Royal Challengers Bangalore today at Feroz Shah Kotla. Delhi Daredevils won the toss & elected to bat first.
Opening their innings, Delhi Daredevils gave a ferocious start from the openers David Warner & Virender Sehwag. They played brilliantly right from the beginning but they lost Virender Sehwag & Gautam Gambhir in quick succession. But Paul Collingwood was the one who broke Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling skills, he scored 75 runs in 46 balls which included 3 fours & 7 sixes which helped the Delhi Daredevils to put up a total score of 184 runs loosing 5 wickets in 20 overs. David warner scored 33 runs 22 balls & David Warner scored 35 runs in 22 balls, both hit 2 sixes. Kotarangada Appanna was the economical bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore, he bowled 4 overs with an economy rate of 6 runs per over & took one wicket.
Royal Challengers Bangalore started their chase of 185 runs with openers Cameron White & Jacques Kallis opening the innings. They started well, but the run rate was lower than the asking rate right from the beginning of their innings. First wicket fell in the 4th over, it was Cameron White who had scored 4 runs in 11 deliveries. Royal Challengers Bangalore started to loose wickets regularly & the asking rate started to increase. Players were forced to hit the ball as the asking rate was kept on increasing which resulted in the loss of wickets. By 20 overs Royal Challengers Bangalore lost 9 wickets & could score only 147 runs, thereby Delhi Daredevils winning the match by 37 runs. RCB's top scorer was Jacques Kallis who scored 54 runs in 42 balls which included 5 fours & a six. Meanwhile Delhi Daredevils economy bowler was Pradeep Sangwan whose economy rate was 5.5 runs per over & had took 3 wickets.
Man of the match was Paul Collingwood for his 75 runs in 46 deliveries. Delhi Daredevils after this win they have moved to the 2nd place in the IPL rankings table, meanwhile Royal Challengers Bangalore have slipped from 2nd place to 3rd place.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Won the match by 6 wickets

Kings XI Punjab played their home match against the visitors Royal Challengers Bangalore today at Mohali. Kings XI Punjab won the toss & elected to bat first. 
Openings their innings, Shaun Marsh & Manvinder Bisla were the opening batsmen for Kings XI Punjab. Things did not go well in the start for Kings XI Punjab as Shaun Marsh got out in the second over. But Kings XI Punjab batted well maintain good run rate throughout the innings. By the end of 20 overs Kings XI Punjab lost only 5 wickets & scored 181 runs in total. Yuvaraj Singh & Kumar Sangakkara scored 36 from 20 balls & 45 from 27 balls respectively. Dale Steyn was the economic bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore giving 7.75 runs per over.
Royal challengers Bangalore started their innings chasing the target of 182 runs with the openers Jacques Kallis & Manish Pandey. Man in Orange Cap, Jacques Kallis was out in the fifth over scoring only 9 runs which made Royal Challengers Bangalore to tremble. Even Manish Pandey could not make where he got out when Kevin Pietersen hit the ball straight to bowler's hand which further hit on the wicket. After this, Virat Kohli & Kevin Pietersen played till RCB reached 130 runs. Virat Kohli got out in the 16th over, the required run rate got to 11 runs per over which was little difficult to score. But, it all changed in the 17th over where Brett Lee bowled the over. It was Robin Uthappa who batted brilliantly hitting 2 sixes & a four, in this over RCB scored 25 runs in just 6 balls where the pressure completely released for them. In 19.1 overs Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 184 runs loosing just 4 wickets & winning the match by 6 wickets. This was RCB's 5th victory in 8 matches played in this IPL edition 3. Man of the match was Kevin Pietersen for his unbeaten 66 runs from 44 balls. Royals Challengers Bangalore after winning this match moved from 3rd place to 2nd place in the rankings table.

Chennai Super Kings won the match by 5 wickets

Royal Challengers Bangalore played their match as visitors against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk Stadium, Chennai.Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss & elected to bat first. Royal Challengers started their innings moderately, in the 3rd over they lost Manish Pandey. But, this did not effect the teams runs rate. But in 12th & 13th over there were some struggling for RCB to score runs, this led the RCB's runrate to drop down a lot. By 20 overs, Royal Challengers Bangalore could score only 161 runs loosing 4 wickets with 8.05 run rate.

Chennai Super Kings started their chase of 162 runs, they batted very aggressively right from the beginning. By the end of 7th over they scored 61 runs just loosing one wicket. It was Mathew Hayden who was out in the last 5th ball of 7th over. It was going well for Chennai Super Kings till they lost their 4th wicket, Albie Morkel. But Royal Challengers Bangalore could not use the chance they had got. Things changed when Vinay Kumar bowled a no-ball which was hit for a 6 by Suresh Raina in the 19th over. By the end of 19th over, Chennai Super Kings scored 165 runs loosing 5 wickets & hence reaching their target successfully.

Chennai Super Kings won the match by 5 wickets & an over to spare. This was the first win in the last 5 matches they played in this IPL edition 3.

Royals Challengers Bangalore failed to continue their winning spree

Delhi Daredevils visited Bangalore to play a match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore today at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. Skipper Anil Kumble from RCB won the toss & put the visitors to bat first.

Delhi Daredevils gave a magnificent start as team opener, David Warner 33 runs just in 14 deliveries. Later on after loosing couple of wickets, AB de Villiers & Jadhav played brilliantly to put a good total for Delhi Daredevils. Finally Delhi Daredevils landed up with setting a target of 183.

Royal Challengers Bangalore started their innings with the openers Jacques Kallis & Manish Pandey. RCB started off very well playing aggressively until they reached 71 runs, in the 10th over, RCB lost their first wicket, Jacques Kallis. Later on things started to change, RCB started to loose wickets regularly. RCB finally landed up with a score of 166 in 20 overs loosing 9 wickets.

Delhi Daredevils won the match by 17 runs. Skipper Dinesh Karthik will be very happy about his teams performance. Previously Delhi Daredevils had lost 3 successive matches.

Struggling Delhi Daredevils have a stiff challenge against RCB

Delhi Daredevils will be facing Royal Challengers Bangalore today. It will be a home match for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Delhi Daredevils are in the sixth position having 4 points on the points table. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore have won 4 successive matches till now who top the points table with 8 points. Royal Challengers Bangalore would be looking to continue their winning momentum against a struggling Delhi Daredevils today.

RCB has a very well balanced bowling & batting sides. Jacques Kallis is in great form, who is the leading scorer in this IPL, meanwhile others include Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Mark Boucher who can bat very well. Bowlers like Praveen Kumar, Dale Steyn, Skipper Anil Kumble & Vinay Kumar are also bowling well & have been showing performances.

Coming back to Delhi Daredevils, They gave a brilliant start in the IPL - 3 by winning first 2 matches after that till now they din't even win a single match. They have lost Gautam Gambhir who has been ruled out due to injury. Sehwag has shown very good performances, he is the second top run getter in this IPL. But middle order batsmen have not yet given their good performances in this IPL.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Won against Chennai Super Kings

Royal Challengers Bangalore played a their home match against Chennai Super Kings of the IPL season 3 in Chinnaswamy Stadium . Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni did not play due to injury, the new captain Suresh Raina won the toss & elected to field first.

Royal Challengers Bangalore started their innings with Jaques Kallis & Manish Pandey as openers, but RCB did not do well till the 18th over until Robin Uthappa started to hit. When RCB were At 17.4 overs RCB were 123 loosing 5 wikets, in remaining 16 balls they hit 48 runs, which give a boost to their total & finally landed up with a total of 171 for 5 wickets.

Top scorer was Robin Uthappa unbeaten scoring 68 runs from 38 balls.

Chennai Super Kings started their innings with Mathew Hayden & Parthiv Patel, they lost Parthiv Patel in the first over itself. They started to loosed wickets regularly, finally they finished their innings scoring runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore won the match by 36 runs. Now, RCB are back to top the ranking table leaving behind Mumbai Indians..

Royal Challengers Bangalore Won against Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians played their home match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Brabourne Stadium. MI won the toss & elected to bat first. MI lost Sanath Jayasurya at the early stage, but Sachin tendulkar & Saurabh Tiwary had a good partnership but all went sore when Tiwary was out when MI were 71. Later on MI kept on loosing wickets in regular intervals, finally landing up with a total score of 151 for 9.

Royal Challengers Bangalore gave good start as Jacques Kallis & Manish Pandey gave a magnificent start. Finally RCB completed their target by scoring a total of 155 runs in 19.1 overs just loosing 3 wickets. Teams Top scorer was Jacques Kallis scoring a unbeaten 66 runs of 55 balls.

RCB have moved up to the 1st place in the points table & MI have dropped down to second place.

Mumbai Indians Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Mumbai Indians are playing their home match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Brabourne Stadium. Mumbai Indians won the toss & have elected to bat first.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Won by ten wickets

Today Royal Challengers Bangalore played their third match against the visitors Rajasthan Royals at Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore. RCB skipper won the toss & elected to field first letting the royals to bat. Rajasthan Royals gave a very slow start but they started to loose wickets, they only managed to score 92 runs loosing all 10 wickets in 19.5 overs. Praveen Kumar took a hatrick in 17th over. Anil Kumble was very impressive by taking 3 wickets only giving 9 runs in his 3.5 overs.

Later RCB started their innings with the target of only 93 runs to win in 20 overs. Both Manish Pandey & Jacques Kallis started the innings very well. In 10.4 overs RCB reached the target of 93 with no loss & got their 2nd victory in this IPL. Manish Pandey made 42 from 30 balls with 7 fours & a six. Jacques Kallis scored 44 from 34 balls with 7 fours.

RCB have won 2 matches out of 3 played till now. On the points table RCB are now at 2nd place behind MI being first.