IPL weekly update

Well well well !! The series has come alive, hasn't it ? All the 7 teams* in tight race for the semi-final spot.. Things have just heated up... Any team can qualify for the semi-final..

DC: The team is all charged up thanks to the great form that Gilly and Gibbs are in.. Rohit has backed them up and the fringe players in Bilakhila and Suman haven't disapppointed either.. Bowling spearheaded by the rejuvenated RP, well supported by the terrific Fidel Edwards backed up by Ojha..
Team is sitting pretty on the top of the table..
DD: All international players are at the top of their games and even Warner and McGrath find it difficult to come into the playing 11.. Viru and Gauti disappointed in the second week too..
MI: Sachin leading from the front with good shows with the bat, JP has been worthy of his money, Lasith has really been the trump card, the purple cap holder has an economy rate of under 6 !!
KXIP:Pathan and the new find Abdullah come to our minds immediately.. Sangakkara has been good.. Yuvi, Jayawardene haven't performed upto their capabilities.. Waiting for Yuvi to set the stage on fire..
CSK: Haven't got their team right I feel.. Probably, the last match the team was close to where it should have been.. Is there a provision to have MSD just as a captain and not as a player ? He has just occupied a slot and is not at all performing..
RR: Biggest news is Kamran Khan, the kid being reported for suspect action.. Shane is not able to sustain his magic right throughout the 40 overs.. Looks poor at some places.. Yusuf Bhai, huh these pathans are simply awesome, aren't they ?
RCB: By far the most improved team, are on a roll right now, the eagerness to win and the want to put up a good show is seen in all the players.. Some one who had got their team line up all wrong in the initial few matches, prompting me to think that there must something wrong with Goswami, Boucher and VD Merve was put to rest with KP finally coming to his senses and picking them up in the 11 !! Kumble, wat a man !! If RCB make it to the semis, we all must salute this veteran..
Done with the 7 teams..
*KKR (not a team,multiple players): Shahrukh Khan has returned to India, claiming he will be back once his team starts winning again (so, he wont be there again till may 23rd), Brendon McCullum has offered to resign as captain, and there are general rumblings about an unhappy dressing room. Support staff are on the firing line, Gayle has gone back.. The only good news this week was that their game against Chennai was abandoned, thus saving them from another defeat.

Highlights :

• Breezy knock of 44 from gilly in just 19balls against CSK
• Unforgettable Sachin-Sanath partnership of 110 in 10 overs, Sachin's 60 odd is also unforgettable..Truly amazing show
• Match sealed, DD win. Wait a second ! A pathan storm YP smashing 62 of 30 balls to ensure RR win.. Six sixes with a 108m hit in that..
• The renaissance- KP and VDMerve opening the bowling against KR setting up a good win..
• Non-existant century.. Perhaps this is the first and the last time a batsman will celebrate on scoring 98. Raina the casuality of a score-board error..

Spell of the week: Yuvi.. A hattrick.. seems to love Durban doesn't he !! Having not done much with the bat till then, Yuvi decided it was time to contribute with the ball. He began in the 11th over against Bangalore, sending back Robin Uthappa and then foxing Jacques Kallis with his arm ball. First ball of his next over, another arm ball did for Mark Boucher for the IPL's fourth - and most unlikely - hat-trick.

Sidelined players: Glenn McGrath, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Mortaza, Ashraful ,Ntini

Player of the week :Yusuf Abdullah !! Best bowler thus far.. Excellent bowling, wickets up front, slow ball and yorkers at the death, has ended up with 3 or 4 wickets many a time..

Funny play : The English !! Did not get to play a game and those who got a game did not perform.. (Bopara excluded).. A lose lose situation for them indeed..

Improvement of the week : Agarkar bowling 2 overs in a match, the first time in IPL09

Improved team of the week: RCB.. The fire to win the game is evident... Performances are getting better.. Looks so better when they perform so well...

Over of the week: Anil Kumble's 19th over against KXIP yesterday.. The best i have seen.. Anil leaping up in air as though it was his maiden wicket.. Truly a great spectacle !!



I think all cricket sites would do good to nominate Pathan of the week.. Both have been in excellent form doing their respective teams a world of good..

Pathan of the week : Irfan for his consistency in bowling and some powerful blows with the bat..Yusuf's daredevilry against the daredevils and his bowling performances aren't that far behind either..

Team	Mat	Won	Lost			N/R			Pts			Net RR
DC	5	4	1			0			8			+0.923
DD	5	4	1			0			8			+0.318
MI	6	3	2			1			7			+1.050
KXIP	6	3	3			0			6			+0.104
RCB	7	3	4			0			6			-0.329
CSK	6	2	3			1			5			+0.943
RR	6	2	3			1			5			-1.270
KR	7	1	5			1			3			-1.388