Now with the SRH & DC Battle, It is a very tricky slow pitch as the scores have been very low, with the average hovering around 110 mark. I think we are in for a gripping contest today though there may not be lusty hits!

SRH have quite an experience to handle low scores, so expecting SRH winning, but not ruling out Delhi, they have been fantastic this season.

epraneeth77 wrote:

Now with the SRH & DC Battle, It is a very tricky slow pitch as the scores have been very low, with the average hovering around 110 mark. I think we are in for a gripping contest today though there may not be lusty hits!

SRH have quite an experience to handle low scores, so expecting SRH winning, but not ruling out Delhi, they have been fantastic this season.

SRH surely have a better bowling attack in comparison to DC. Therefore, if the pitch plays low and slow they will have the edge with bowlers such as Rashid Khan and Nabi in their ranks. Also, the quality of Kane Williamson will come handy for them in the batting line up in case of trying and difficult conditions.

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

epraneeth77 wrote:

Now with the SRH & DC Battle, It is a very tricky slow pitch as the scores have been very low, with the average hovering around 110 mark. I think we are in for a gripping contest today though there may not be lusty hits!

SRH have quite an experience to handle low scores, so expecting SRH winning, but not ruling out Delhi, they have been fantastic this season.

SRH surely have a better bowling attack in comparison to DC. Therefore, if the pitch plays low and slow they will have the edge with bowlers such as Rashid Khan and Nabi in their ranks. Also, the quality of Kane Williamson will come handy for them in the batting line up in case of trying and difficult conditions.

True, Kane's batting in slow conditions will be an asset as he looks to play slow and steady and not hit riskily and thereby SRH can have a good total as he can play the anchor role if batting first. However if SRH is chasing a good target of 140 to 150, then I think Kane Batting may not be so useful.

If DC plays maturely and on the basis of merit of the pitch and puts a realistic total if batting first, DC can win as well. It remains to be seen if Dhawan can continue his form on slow pitches.

However I think Hyderabad have their edge. Hyderabad team has been priviledged by some exceptional captains in their ranks. Kane, Warner, both have been good strategists and players. However we lacked a back up captain this time as Warner is not allowed to captain. Bhuvi had a miserable outing with his captaincy stint.

The main thing that will decide the match is DC batting for me. They have batted immaturely in the previous seasons by trying to hit very hard every ball, but this season they have been decent. If they can bat well on this pitch, SRH will have a tough time.

suni51 wrote:

I tell you something, Rohit is good when there is no pressure but when the situation is tensed he always departs early. Today will be no exception. I am sure CSK will make it to the finale and probably today itself.

You came spot on with your prediction on Rohit Sharma. He departed early in yesterday's match keeping his record of poor batting performances in the play-offs intact. But Rohit's early departure was not enough to stop MI to reach the finals though.

epraneeth77 wrote:

MI Prevail again. I think Dhoni should have batted first on that slow deck. However, matches in Chennai have been very sportive, with both Batting first teams and batting second teams winning in the league stages.

Since it was not a close match, MI  came up trumps. Dhoni is a master in close matches, be it their team batting with him at the crease, or his team bowling with Dhoni behind the stumps.

Probably, that's why MI did not take the match deep as they would have known the management and strategical skills of the opposition skipper who would create a tense atmosphere by changing field positions and taking his time.

The shot selection of CSK's top order were just not up to the mark. That lead to the downfall of Dhoni's team. Although Rayudu and Dhoni tried their best at the closing stages of the first innings, their efforts were never going to be enough as the damage by that time was already done. However, let's not take anything away from Mumbai Indians. The way their bowlers performed first against KKR (in the last league stage match) and then against CSK yesterday was simply unbelievable.

Let's not forget that MI is the one team which has performed consistently well against CSK in all the IPLs. Therefore, if CSK make it to the finals this year, then MI again would be their biggest threat.

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

epraneeth77 wrote:

MI Prevail again. I think Dhoni should have batted first on that slow deck. However, matches in Chennai have been very sportive, with both Batting first teams and batting second teams winning in the league stages.

Since it was not a close match, MI  came up trumps. Dhoni is a master in close matches, be it their team batting with him at the crease, or his team bowling with Dhoni behind the stumps.

Probably, that's why MI did not take the match deep as they would have known the management and strategical skills of the opposition skipper who would create a tense atmosphere by changing field positions and taking his time.

The shot selection of CSK's top order were just not up to the mark. That lead to the downfall of Dhoni's team. Although Rayudu and Dhoni tried their best at the closing stages of the first innings, their efforts were never going to be enough as the damage by that time was already done. However, let's not take anything away from Mumbai Indians. The way their bowlers performed first against KKR (in the last league stage match) and then against CSK yesterday was simply unbelievable.

Let's not forget that MI is the one team which has performed consistently well against CSK in all the IPLs. Therefore, if CSK make it to the finals this year, then MI again would be their biggest threat.

True that. Very well put crisply. The bowlers have been rising to the occassion and restricting Russell and other batsman in KKR match was fabulous. They continued their golden touch in bowling again.

Indeed, MI will be their biggest threat if CSK makes it to finals. Could not agree more.

DC prevails over SRH in a thrilling encounter yesterday! It was the eliminator, and boy what a match! How things have shaped up, it would be an interesting contest between CSK and DC now. Therefore, expecting another thriller tomorrow. What's even more interesting is that it would be a clash between a team full of experienced, senior players against a team filled with young raw talent. Nothing can get better than this!

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

DC prevails over SRH in a thrilling encounter yesterday! It was the eliminator, and boy what a match! How things have shaped up, it would be an interesting contest between CSK and DC now. Therefore, expecting another thriller tomorrow. What's even more interesting is that it would be a clash between a team full of experienced, senior players against a team filled with young raw talent. Nothing can get better than this!

Hyderabad team has played really well as a unit, hence it has come this far. Despite losing key players, other players stepped up. However the bowlers disappointed this season which has been their fortress in the previous seasons.

Many encounters Hyderabad ended up on the wrong side in close matches due to bowling.

I am expecting CSK to win. Hope it will be a thriller to watch out.

Dropping Shaw early in the innings did not help, Kane's decision to bowl Thampi instead of Khaleel in the 18th over was the turning point. Also Saha not removing his glove to score a direct hit in the last over proved costly as he could have Paul if he had hit the strikers stumps who scored the winning runs yet again.

This is the second or third time I think that Saha in a close encounter did not remove his glove. Kane missed a few things like that. He could have asked Saha to remove his one of his glove to score a direct hit.

However I really liked how Kane spoke in the presentation ceremony, very sportive, calm and well captained.

epraneeth77 wrote:

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

DC prevails over SRH in a thrilling encounter yesterday! It was the eliminator, and boy what a match! How things have shaped up, it would be an interesting contest between CSK and DC now. Therefore, expecting another thriller tomorrow. What's even more interesting is that it would be a clash between a team full of experienced, senior players against a team filled with young raw talent. Nothing can get better than this!

Hyderabad team has played really well as a unit, hence it has come this far. Despite losing key players, other players stepped up. However the bowlers disappointed this season which has been their fortress in the previous seasons.

Many encounters Hyderabad ended up on the wrong side in close matches due to bowling.

I am expecting CSK to win. Hope it will be a thriller to watch out.

Dropping Shaw early in the innings did not help, Kane's decision to bowl Thampi instead of Khaleel in the 18th over was the turning point. Also Saha not removing his glove to score a direct hit in the last over proved costly as he could have Paul if he had hit the strikers stumps who scored the winning runs yet again.

This is the second or third time I think that Saha in a close encounter did not remove his glove. Kane missed a few things like that. He could have asked Saha to remove his one of his glove to score a direct hit.

However I really liked how Kane spoke in the presentation ceremony, very sportive, calm and well captained.

That's an excellent point you have made on Saha's wicket-keeping skills! He needs to rectify it. Also, I agree with you that SRH bowlers did not bowl to their potential throughout this IPL. Most importantly, Bhuvi's form remains as a concern leading up to the world cup. By his own standards, he was not accurate and economical in this tournament.

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

epraneeth77 wrote:

Saurav Banerjee wrote:

DC prevails over SRH in a thrilling encounter yesterday! It was the eliminator, and boy what a match! How things have shaped up, it would be an interesting contest between CSK and DC now. Therefore, expecting another thriller tomorrow. What's even more interesting is that it would be a clash between a team full of experienced, senior players against a team filled with young raw talent. Nothing can get better than this!

Hyderabad team has played really well as a unit, hence it has come this far. Despite losing key players, other players stepped up. However the bowlers disappointed this season which has been their fortress in the previous seasons.

Many encounters Hyderabad ended up on the wrong side in close matches due to bowling.

I am expecting CSK to win. Hope it will be a thriller to watch out.

Dropping Shaw early in the innings did not help, Kane's decision to bowl Thampi instead of Khaleel in the 18th over was the turning point. Also Saha not removing his glove to score a direct hit in the last over proved costly as he could have Paul if he had hit the strikers stumps who scored the winning runs yet again.

This is the second or third time I think that Saha in a close encounter did not remove his glove. Kane missed a few things like that. He could have asked Saha to remove his one of his glove to score a direct hit.

However I really liked how Kane spoke in the presentation ceremony, very sportive, calm and well captained.

That's an excellent point you have made on Saha's wicket-keeping skills! He needs to rectify it. Also, I agree with you that SRH bowlers did not bowl to their potential throughout this IPL. Most importantly, Bhuvi's form remains as a concern leading up to the world cup. By his own standards, he was not accurate and economical in this tournament.

Indeed, Bhuvi's form is a concern, but I hope that if there are swinging conditions in England he should be favoured.

Also I feel that Khaleel should make the cut in the XI instead of Bhuvi. But experience matters and it is a call of the Captain.

Bhuvi was dropped in rotational policy during ODI's in the lead up to the world cup. So when he played after some rest he took about 2 matches to find his form.

ODI & T-20 are different format & I hope Bhuvi finds his form early in the tournament and that Bhuvi should be given the first few games to find his form, if he still does not find his form then Khaleel should be brought in. Bhuvi is also useful with Bat which is an important contribution in the present set up where Batting is less in form. Bhuvi can forge partnerships with Dhoni or Jadhav in case of a collapse.