[joe1980]

CSK advances to the next qualifier to play against DD. Well done CSK.

I'm happy that it didn't work out for the MI captain. Hope someone else captains MI next time.

[Automaton]

MI imploded the moment Sachin was out.
Actually they shot themselves in the foot in the last five-six bowling overs.

If KKR hold their nerve in the big match, they will be the team to beat.
Though CSK have the big match experience and will hold their nerves better.

[carwatcher]

So MSD has to fight it out with Sehwag, with whom there were some "difference in opinions" were experienced (or media created) in the past by him.
Lets see who wins.

[joe1980]

I hope that Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina also strikes for the next match against DD. If they do, then a score of 200+ from CSK is inevitable provided that they bat first.

[vibbs]

Unfortunately for CSK, either sehwag or warner firing is enough to get DD past 200. Fortunately for them, DD' s chances end too with them. If these two click, IPL5 is DD's for the taking.

[MutantX]

vibbs - Sehwag is and has always been hit out or get out type. The stage doesnt matter for him. Look at this shorts! there is absolutly no foot movement. I agree that if it isnt sehwag or warner, they are close to down and out. CSK have 8 batsman! feel it is one team with the smallest tail.

[joe1980]

Originally Posted by MutantX

vibbs -CSK have 8 batsman! feel it is one team with the smallest tail.

Which was obvious in yesterdays match against MI. Murali and Raina failed, but the rest balanced it. I hope the next IPL season, other teams also follow CSK's way of forming a team. This is T20 and we need big hitters and it is much better if there are big hitters till the 11th batsman.

[esteem_lover]

After watching CSK's resurrection last night, I am now convinced neither DD nor KKR can stop them now. The real Dhoni was in view last night and it felt great, wish he does the same for India as well.

Bravo's farewell to his highly overrated cousin was just fantastic. Bravo ! Dwayne.

[joe1980]

Congrats CSK. What a performance today. I think they deserve this.

[suhaas307]

So sad to see DD just giving up like that. In four overs, they scored 25 runs and lost 6 wickets. Talk about handing over the match on a silver platter. I believe if there is one team that can chase down big targets, apart from CSK of course, is DD. But they lost by 86 runs. I thought they'd put up more of a fight than this.

Looks like CSK will probably win this one too.

But a little known fact. Most teams have lost the next game, after a game where they'd scored in excess of 200. I'm not too sure though and this is something I say from what I can remember.

[carwatcher]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

So MSD has to fight it out with Sehwag, with whom there were some "difference in opinions" were experienced (or media created) in the past by him.
Lets see who wins.

Continuing from above Sehwag's captaincy was really ordinary.
1. Morne Morkel (Purple cap holder) sitting outside and unknown Sunny Gupta making debut.
2. Winning toss and fielding (when Gambhir in one league match won the toss and opt to bat first, he told we can play our natural game without pressure and bat to our potential while batting first.)
One can say that Chennai is batting pitch but their approach and Viru's batting said it all. Even at toss Cricinfo mentioned in commentary that doesn't Viru know that Chepauk's pitch gets slower in later part of the game. Sehwag got 5 consecutive 50s in the earlier games and he played safe in the beginning and attacked later. Infact no score is safer in last 5 overs, so his batting was not responsible to say the least.
3. He also bowled one over himself and gifted 21 runs to help increase the run-rate.
IMO, he should be awarded Man of the Match today.
Anyway, we will get to see a really good final atleast if going by the earlier performance of KKR.

[Eddy]

I have been a cricket fan for far too long to remember, and never really believed that match fixing happened after Cronje.

But I just just cannot comprehend DD's team selection today. There is something wrong somewhere, definitely.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by Eddy

But I just just cannot comprehend DD's team selection today. There is something wrong somewhere, definitely.

In the qualifying match against KKR, between 11th & 17th overs, DD scored 37 runs in 42 balls on a batting pitch with plenty of wickets in hand. Venugopal Rao scored 13 in 22 balls during closing stages and the in-form batsman, Ross Taylor didn't come until the chase was difficult.

In today's match against CSK, essentially they swapped Morkel & Pathan for Andre Russel & Sunny Gupta. So they a got debut bowler and a inexperienced bowler for a very important match (semi-final).

Indeed they tried too hard to lose. All these does look suspicious.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by msdivy

In the qualifying match against KKR, between 11th & 17th overs, DD scored 37 runs in 42 balls on a batting pitch with plenty of wickets in hand. Venugopal Rao scored 13 in 22 balls during closing stages and the in-form batsman, Ross Taylor didn't come until the chase was difficult.

In today's match against CSK, essentially they swapped Morkel & Pathan for Andre Russel & Sunny Gupta. So they a got debut bowler and a inexperienced bowler for a very important match (semi-final).

Indeed they tried too hard to lose. All these does look suspicious.

Tell you what, I generally never question what happens on the pitch since I can only imagine what pressure can get you to do. Pune was definitely not a batting track, and Venu did stuggle. But I can accept that, since that is the nature of the game.

But team selection, and this bad team selection, is extremely doubtful.

[carwatcher]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Tell you what, I generally never question what happens on the pitch since I can only imagine what pressure can get you to do. Pune was definitely not a batting track, and Venu did stuggle. But I can accept that, since that is the nature of the game.

But team selection, and this bad team selection, is extremely doubtful.

And what about RR, KXIP and RCB loosing one by one when it was 99.99% sure CSK will be out of the IPL.
Imagine the money a punter have made on CSK reaching the playoffs.
Its all about money honey.