Aila, what is going on

DD, CSK, RR were looking good to book semi final berth with the fourth team being DC or RCB... But I had earlier pointed out that strange things have happened in cricket and mathematically even KXIP can get into the semis..

Its happening.. Call it match fixing or pure luck or anything else the matches these days are getting closer and closer.. A No ball that won the match for DC and lost it for the ever dismal KKR..

Today, KXIP took on DC in a must win match and RR took on DD in a similar must win situation..
KXIP vs DC 
There were several impressive moments - Ramesh Powar's magic ball to Adam Gilchrist that pitched outside leg and turned way outside off stump-Gilly stumped;  Rohit Sharma's sensational hitting towards the end- quite a repeat of what happened yesterday; Irfan Pathan's composure at the death which was lacking in KKR yesterday... KXIP were restricted to a paltry 134 and the onus was on DC to win it.. Deccan were off to a flier only to be stopped by a slow slow off spin from Powar.. Gilly and Suman out in 2 balls !! 4-0-13-3 from Yuvi who seems to be doing more with the ball than with the bat came with another hattrick.. Rohit almost created a repeat of the match against KKR with similar style of hitting and the sixes going long long way.. Match was back in balance but when Irfan removed Rohit in the 3rd ball of the last over, the match was more than over.. KXIP ended up winning by 1 run..

>Why did some one like Wilkin Mota bowl the crucial 18th over when Sreesanth and Ramesh Powar had overs left ? An answer would never be sought..
>Why did Ryan Harris not even attempt the 3rd run of the last ball ? The non-striker had come half way down the wicket only to find Harris halfway towards the dug out...

DD vs RR 

In a pressure game they needed to win, Rajasthan let the early momentum slip with two drops and a missed run-out chance, lost three early wickets during a stiff chase and will rue allowing Delhi score heavily at the end of their innings.They now need to beat the Kolkata Knight Riders soundly in their final league game. A poor 19th over from Munaf giving away 25 runs was the highlight of DD innings which was slow and watchful and the respectable score reached thanks largely to the Mr.Consistent AB and and Karthik who seems to be on song.. After losing 3 early wickets you need some one to score at constant rate and not get out.. It did not happen.. Yusuf Pathan failed and so did RR..

> DD through to the semi finals..

> KXIP scripting great comeback, a team that needed 3 consecutive wins for a semi final spot is just one win away from it.. This is so much like the aussie of '99 cricket world cup that I can't help comparing... Aussie needed 3 consecutive wins in super 6, a win in semi and needless to say a win in the finals to lift the world cup.. (remember they were not the favorites to even qualify for semis when Steve Waugh had said they just need 5 wins to win the cup, and win they did).. 

>RR almost out. Only consolation is that the next game is against a team that doesn't know to win-the KKR..

>Will the choking, poor run chases and dubious decisions by the captains ever gonna stop ?? 

CSK- KKR and KXIP - a win against either seals a semi final berth.. Even if they lose both its alright.. A win tomorro against KKR will be ideal, wont it ? Lets see if that can happen.. (??!!??!!)

RR- KKR - a win takes them much closer to semi finals; no guarantee, a loss and you can bid good-bye..

RCB- DD, DC - a win against DD keeps them in spot light or once again things get too close to call with NRR coming into play and the performance of the other teams......

KXIP- must win against CSK..*

DC- Throw the dice, RCB vs DC may well turn out to be a virtual semi final if RCB gets the better of DD !! 

Food for thought: 

*If CSK win the remaining 2 matches and RCB wins against DC and loses to DD, then we will have KXIP, RCB, DC at 14 points..

  -- If RR lose to KKR, DC and RCB go through on NRR.

  -- If RR wins against KKR, DC goes through.

*If CSK lose both, they remain on 15. KXIP -16, if RCB wins 2 - 16points and they are through.. If RR and CSK happen to tie at 15 points also, CSK has better NRR and they are through..

(unless the wins and losses are by too big a margin to alter the NRR in a big way)..

So truly its MI who are completely out of it.. KKR- picture abhi bhi baaki hai dost !! (kingmaker)

Thanks to whomsoever it may concern that the semifinal spot will be decided by the match on 21st at 8pm between RCB and DC !!