Keeping in mind India’s current unbeaten run at the Champions Trophy, the selection committee decided to retain the same squad. West Indies and Sri Lanka are the other two participating teams in this series.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Irfan Pathan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Vinay Kumar

Mumbai Indians take on a gutsy Rajasthan Royals today, in their last chance to make it to the final of this season’s IPL. In their previous encounter, they lost to Chennai Super Kings, who were the first team to qualify.

Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina tormented the Mumbai bowlers having scored 86 and 82 runs respectively and helping their team reach a formidable 192. Mumbai Indians failed to get near that total and perished for a 144.

MI would hope to improve their performance, in their bid to make it to the final, when they meet the Royals tonight. Mumb­ai, on paper, are a well balanced team and on a good day at offi­ce, can prove to be a difficult si­de to control, for the opponents.

Skipper Rohit Sharma has the ability to single handedly change the course of a match, while players like Dwayne Smith, Kieorn Pollard, Dinesh Karthik and Pragyan Ohja add to the strength of the team.

However, the Royals, who have had a tough time since the spot-fixing scandal broke out, would be a difficult hurdle to cross. Rajasthan Royals’ would hope to continue their momentum from their previous match when they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator.

The Royals who had restricted the Hyderabad side to 132, at one point of time looked like they were struggling to reach the target but Brad Hodge hammered a 29 ball 54 to help his side sail to safety.

The Royals would undoubtedly be banking on Hodge, but they also have a whole set of players in Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Shane Watson, Sturat Binny and James Faulkner, on whom they can depend.

]]> http://postnoon.com/2013/05/24/mi-vs-rr-preview-men-in-blue-set-to-clash/127029/feed 0 http://postnoon.com/2013/05/22/eliminator-srh-vs-rr-preview-srh-aim-for-sunrise/126691 http://postnoon.com/2013/05/22/eliminator-srh-vs-rr-preview-srh-aim-for-sunrise/126691#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 08:41:55 +0000 G Aparna Sai http://postnoon.com/?p=126691

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are set to clash in the eliminator which is scheduled to be played in Delhi today.

The Sunrisers have undoubtedly been the surprise package of the tournament. Playing for the first time in this tournament, the Hyderabad side has done pretty well to have made it to the playoffs.

Though their batting has been a bit of a worry, their bowling has compensated for that.

But in the recent past, their batting has also improved and as a team, they have bonded very well.

Parthiv Patel and Shikhar Dhawan have performed well as the openers. While the middle order has faltered a bit, players like Biplab Samantray, Karan Sharma, Darren Sammy and Thisara Perera have managed to see the team sail to safety.

The bowling has been their strength and with the likes of Dale Steyn and Amit Mishra in the side, it has added to their advantage.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals, though marred by the recent spot-fixing controversies, is a team to be wary of.

The Rahul Dravid led side has performed in a disciplined manner.

Ajiknay Rahane and Dravid have been the perfect openers for the team while players like Sanju Samson, Shane Watson and Stuart Binny have contributed every time the Royals needed them to.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals have played each other twice, during the league stage and both have won a match each.

Today, it remains to be seen as to which team emerges successful at a time when it actually matters and inches closer to the final against Chennai Super Kings.

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad sealed their playoffs berth when they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets, here, on Sunday.

The hosts needed to win this match, as a loss would have implied that the Royal Challengers Bangalore would have made it to the top four.

A well paced knock of 47 by Parthiv Patel and Shikhar Dhawan’s 42, helped the Sunrisers win the match with more than an over to spare.

Needing 131 for victory, Hyderabad finished the match at 132/5.

Darren Sammy hit the winning runs as he slammed two consecutive sixes off Iqbal Abdullah, who was KKR’s most successful bowler last night.

But these runs did not come without their nervous moments. SRH’s openers Patel and Dhawan gave the hosts a good start. They put on a partnership of 89 runs for the first wicket before Dhawan was trapped in front of the stumps.

Patel existed a few runs later and soon Hyderabad looked to be in trouble as they were struggling at 112 for 5 in 17.5 overs until Sammy’s sixes rescued his side.

Earlier, KKR won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Manvinder Bisla and Gautam Gambhir failed to give the Knights a good start.

Bisla perished for 15 while Gambhir was run out when on 10. The Knights kept losing wickets at regular intervals and they wrapped up their innings at 130/7 from their stipulated 20 overs.

Yusuf Pathan top-scored with 49, while the next highest score was Jacques Kallis’ 24.

A score of 130 on the pitch at Uppal seemed defendable but the home side proved the visitors wrong.

With this victory, SRH registered their seventh win at home.

It will be a nervous Sunday for both Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Royal Challengers Bangalore as today’s encounter between SRH and Kolkata Knight Riders will decide the fourth team which will make it to the playoffs.

If Sunrisers will the match, they will make it to the next stage but a loss for the hosts (Hyderabad), will see the Royals from Bangalore sail through.

Both SRH and Royal Challengers Bangalore are tied at 18 points but RCB are currently placed fourth, one place above the Sunrisers by the virtue of a higher net run rate.

Meanwhile, KKR, which had won the tournament last year, put a poor show this season. They managed to win only six matches from the 15 they played.

Although a victory today would not effect them in any manner, yet they would look to win this match and end the season on a high. But it will not be easy keeping in mind their recent form and also the fact that Sunrisers have had a good run at home this year.

SRH, on the other hand, need this victory. Having won six of the seven matches on their home turf, Hyderabad would hope they are able to carry forward this momentum.

Sunrisers played their last match on Friday, against Rajas­than Royals, at home. In that clash, SRH defeated RR by 23 runs. Although their batsmen had initially struggled, yet they managed to get back on track as their bowlers bowled exceptionally.

The Eagles, who desperately need a victory today, would hope to get a similar result as they had against the RR and can get the better of the Knights in their bid to seal their place among the top four.

Hyderabad: In a must win encounter, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Rajasthan Royals here on Friday. Chasing 137 for victory, the Rajasthan side fell short of the target by 23 runs.

Amit Mishra who bowled superbly, claiming two wickets for eight runs, was awarded the Man of the Match. Dale Steyn, Karan Sharma and Thisara Perera also took two wickets, apiece.

The Royals began their innings on a good note with Rahul Dravid scoring well while Ajinkya Rahane supported him at the other end.

But once the skipper fell to a direct throw from Cameron White, Rajasthan lost wickets at regular intervals and wrapped up their innings at 113 for nine.

Earlier, Sunrisers, having won the toss, elected to bat. They began on a sloppy note having lost three wickets with only five runs on the board.

But Biplab Samantray, who escaped being dismissed on a run out as the visitors did not appeal when he was on six, steadied the Hyderabad innings scoring a well paced 55 from 46 deliveries.

Darren Sammy chipped in with a useful 23 while Hanuma Vihari contributed 19 and Perera 17. With this win, Kings XI Punjab’s hopes of making it the playoffs, came to an end.

Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to clash with Rajasthan Royals in a crucial encounter today at the former’s home turf.

The hosts would need this victory to strengthen their chances of making it the playoffs. Also, a win today would not only eliminate the chances of Kings XI Punjab making it to the next stage, but would also make it tough for the Royal Challengers Bangalore to proceed.

SRH have two matches; the first today against RR and the second on Sunday against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

If Hyderabad emerge victorious in both these matches, they will qualify for the playoffs without any hurdle.

Meanwhile, the visitors, who have already made it to the playoffs, are not a happy bunch at the moment.

The Rajasthan side have been shaken after the arrest of three of their players including S Sreesanth, for spot fixing.

Skipper Dravid, who along with the coach, read out a statement about the incident at a press conference on Thursday evening, expressed his disappointment and shock over the incident and looked extremely upset.

The Royals also refused to practice in the presence of the media on Thursday, as they wanted to have a private session.

It had also stated that the BCCI would show no tolerance towards corruption and were willing to offer their cooperation to the Delhi Police and the other investigating authorities.

A similar yet smaller statement was released by the Rajasthan Royals’ management, stating that they were unaware about the details of the spot fixing but was willing to extend full cooperation to the investigating authorities.

BCCI’s Statement

The BCCI is shocked and saddened at the recent developments. The BCCI has zero tolerance to corruption. We will offer all cooperation to the Delhi police and all other authorities in their investigations in this matter. The IPL Governing Council has met and decided that the cricketers found involved will be dealt with severely.

As of now, the 3 players viz; Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila and S. Sreesanth stand suspended pending enquiry. All information required to bring the persons involved to book will be collected and strictest action will be taken, if found guilty.

The BCCI engages the services of the anti corruption wing of the ICC to educate and monitor players and support staff in prevention of corruption of any form in the game. In fact, it is wholly unfortunate that despite such education, best playing conditions and terms of engagement offered, some players seem to be indulging in such activity.

Sanjay Jagdale

Hony. Secretary

BCCI

Rajasthan Royals management’s Statement

We have been informed that 3 of our players have been called in for investigation on spot fixing in matches. We are completely taken by surprise. We do not have the full facts at this point and are unable to confirm anything. We are in touch with the BCCI on this matter. We will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation. The management at Rajasthan Royals has a zero-tolerance approach to anything that is against the spirit of the game.”

Kings XI Punjab, who are currently placed sixth ont he points table, need to win today’s match in order to hold on to their hopes of making it to the playoffs.

The Punjab side, who have 12 points from 14 matches, are set to take on Delhi Daredevils in Dharamshala today.

The Kings need to win both their remaining matches and Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad need lose all their matches in order for KXIP to stand a chance to make it to the next stage of the tournament.

Although the chance are very small, yet KXIP would want to believe that they can still make it.

But, there is a possiblity that Delhi Daredevils, could play spoilsports and ruin the party for the Kings, in a manner similar to what Pune Warriors India did to Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.

A defeat today will narrow down the fight for the playoffs to two teams, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

While all eyes would be on the outcome of today’s match, the ultimate result of the playoffs would depend on the performance of SRH.

Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings can breathe easy now as these teams have made it to the play-offs. But the Royals and the Mumbai sides would still battle it out till the last possible point when they clash today in Mumbai, in their bid to make it to the top two spots on the table (as the top two sides get an extra chance to make it to the finals).

Although both the teams are tied on 20 points each, Mumbai Indians are placed higher than the Rajasthan Royals because of the difference in their net runrate.

Rajasthan Royals have been one of those few teams which have performed consistently throughout this season.

Under the leadership of Rahul Dravid, the team has blossomed and their easy entry into the playoffs is proof of that fact.

All the players, including the uncapped players like Sanju Samson have chipped in at regular intervals and this has seen the team sail to safety even in tough situations, most of the time.

Meanwhile, Mumbai have had a brilliant run at home. They are a formidable side on paper and their presence among the top four has only strengthened the fact that they can perform well in reality too.

The manner in which they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, in their previous match, was commendable and Kieron Pollard who seemed to have lacked in his performance throughout this season, made up for it all, against the Hyderabad side.

While a victory or defeat would not alter the order of the table much, it would still be a match to watch out for as the giants take on each other in a encounter where a lot of hard hitting is expected.

With three teams nearly making it to the playoffs and one spot up for grabs, Royal Challengers Bangalore would need to win their match against Kings XI Punjab today, as it would be crucial in determining their possibilities of making it to the next stage.

With Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians having 20 points each, they are each a victory away from cementing their place in the play-offs while Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad are the frontrunners for the fourth spot.

RCB, who have had a good run at home this season, would look to maintain that momentum.

They would hope that, on their home turf, they defeat the seventh placed Kings from Punjab.

But when these two sides met earlier this year, in closely fought contest, KXIP drew first blood.

David Miller who scored a century in that clash, snatched the match for his side from RCB.

If Miller, like RCB’s Chris Gayle, gets going, then the going will be tough for the Royals.

Also, though RCB stand a good chance of making it to the play-offs, the fact remains that even KXIP can still make it to the next stage if they win all their matches from here on and manage it with a good net runrate.

Although RCB look to be a more formidable side on paper, KXIP have fine players who can prove threatening on a good day at office.

Will all eyes on the playoffs, this match will be a crucial one, not just for the two sides playing it but also the others eyeing a place among the top four.

Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Mumbai Indians on the latter’s home turf today. The previous time these two teams met, Hyderabad went on to win the match.

With more than four teams eyeing the top four spots, the tournament, as it heads for the playoffs, is getting more competitive with every passing match.

Sunrisers Hyderabad currently have eight victories from 13 matches. With teams like Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore doing well, Hyderabad will have to win all their matches in order to cement their place for making it through to the next stage.

But with this match being played in Mumbai, it will be a herculean task for Hyderabad as MI have had a good run at home this season.

The Sunrisers will have to improve their batting and not completely depend on their bowling.

With the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Cameron White, Dar­ren Sammy and Thisara Perera in the team, SRH have the pote­ntial of posting good scores.

Meanwhile, the hosts would do everything possible to restrict the visitors to a paltry score.

Currently, Mumbai are placed higher than the Sunrisers on the points table and even on paper, the former are a formidable side.

With the presence of Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Smith, Mitchell Johnson and Rohit Sharma in the same team, MI undoubtedly have the upper hand.

But Sunrisers have been the surprise package of the tournament and one should not be surprised if they go on to win this match.

Royal Challengers Bangalore still require a few more victories to cement their spot among the top four teams in their bid to make it to the playoffs.

The Challengers are currently tied at 16 points with the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Though they are placed above the Hyderabad side, because of a better net runrate, yet a defeat could alter their positions on the points table. RCB are set to clash with Kolkata Knight Riders today in Ranchi.

Although struggling at the seventh position on the points table and with only a glimmer of hope remaining, the Knights are still positive in their approach and believe that they can still make it to the next stage.

They are not intimidated by the formidable Bangalore team and instead believe that they have the arsenal in the team to fire the side to victory today. KKR are undoubtedly a good team on paper but the defending champions have failed to replicate last season’s performance, this year.

But this does not give the Challengers the change to be complacent, since, on a good day at office, KKR can still be threatening.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir would hope to put up a good show today while the others including Yusuf Pathan and Jacques Kallis will have to chip in too.

Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore will hope that Chris Gayle would get back to playing in the fashion that he is famous for while skipper Virat Kohli, who missed out on his ton by a whisker in the last match, would look to replicate his performance and take his team forward.

Chennai Super Kings is the only team this season which can breathe easy as theirs is the only side which has made it to the playoffs.But for a few instances, the Kings from Chennai have performed consistently this season.

Their cricketing skills which were on display when they played against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, was undoubtedly one of the best that was seen this season.While winning or losing would not worry the Kings too much, their performance could spell trouble for many other teams.

CSK are set to meet Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur when the two encounter each other tonight.The Royals have 18 points from 13 matches and are comfortably placed at the third position on the points table.

But if they fail to post a victory today, and do win anymore matches this season, then they could find themselves kicked out from the “top four” positions.The Rahul Dravid led side, though not considered the favourites this season, have put up a splendid show this year.

Not only have the experienced players performed well, but even the uncapped players have made their presence felt.With both the teams looking good and with them putting up a good show in the recent past, it will be difficult to pick a clear winner.

The surprise of the tournament has been the tournament has been the Sunrisers Hyderabad team; this is their first season and there were hardly any who believed that this side would win as many matches as they have until now.

The Sunrisers have seven victories from the 12 matches they played and are currently placed at the fifth position on the points table.

Although SRH do not figure among the top four teams, they still have a good chance of making it to the playoffs.

And in their bid of making it to the next stage, Hyderabad will have to win their match today when they play against Kings XI Punjab, in Mohali.

The Kings, but for a few instances, have failed to create an impact in this season. They let go of a few good chances and are now struggling at the sixth position with only five wins from 12 matches.

The chances of Punjab making it to the playoffs are minimal and they would have to win every match in the coming future to stand a chance to figure among the top four.

David Miller has proved to be threatening but if he does not fire and the others like Ad­am Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh fail, then it will be difficult for the Kings to end on the victorious side.

Meanwhile, the SRH batsmen need to stop depending completely on their bowling for them to win matches.

Although there were numerous loopholes in their bowling when they played against the Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, yet on most occasions, it has been their batting which failed them.

SRH have a decent chance of surging forward but if they do not make the best use of the opportunities, then they can bid goodbye to the playoffs.

The tussle for making it to the playoffs is getting more intense with every passing match.

Chennai Super Kings, who are comfortably placed at the top of the points table, are the only team, as of now, to have qualified for the playoffs.

The Rajasthan Royals are the other team who look close to making it to the next round.

While Delhi Daredevils and Pune Warriors India do not stand a chance of making it to the next level of the tournament, the remaining teams need a few more victories to be able to qualify.

But with matches swinging in unexpected manners, it will be tough to take a call on the teams which would make it to the top four.

Meanwhile, the Royal Challengers Bangalore are set to clash with Delhi Daredevils today in the country’s capital.

The Challengers are tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad on the points and need this victory to surge forward.

On paper, and keeping in mind the recent performance of both the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Daredevils, it is most likely that Bangalore would emerge victorious.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have a formidable side, and on a good day at office, they can demolish their opponents.

But it will be unfair to decide on a winner before the match begins, since the Daredevils, though only a few, have had some remarkable victories, including one against the Mumbai Indians.

Although DD would be playing this game to redeem their pride, it should not come as a surprise if they play party spoilers for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The tournament is still very much open for all the teams barring the Pune Warriors India and the Delhi Daredevils, to make it to the playoffs.

Today, as Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders take on Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors India respectively, the three teams which still stand a chance of making it to the top-four, will have to give it more than their 100 percent to remain in the contest.

The Kings from Punjab have not been among the top teams in this tournament but they have been pretty impressive on more instances than one.

After David Miller’s unbeaten century on Monday against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, KXIP have found their hero and would hope that he fires for them once again. But Rajasthan have performed well throughout the season and it will be difficult for the Kings to get past them.

The Royals side is a well balanced one and with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Shane Watson and James Faulkner, it will be extremely difficult for the Kings XI Punjab to get past their opponents.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders still have a chance of making it to the playoffs but for that to happen, they will need nothing short of miracle to take place.

They are currently placed at the seventh position with eight points from 12 matches.

Looking at the performance of Pune Warriors, it does look like KKR stand a good chance of winning the match today but like it has been seen in the past, many a times, the teams which have been knocked out, have the ability to play spoilsports for the other sides.

This season, four teams — Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad — have won all their matches at home and all these sides are eyeing a place among the top four.

SRH, who take on Chennai Super Kings today on their home turf, are keen to extend their win streak at home and slowly make their way to the qualifiers.

The Sunrisers, who were initially considered as one of the underdogs, emerged as the surprise package of the tournament having won seven matches from the 11 they played.

However, with most of their matches being low scoring ones, Hyderabad are lagging behind in their net runrate, a factor which could later prove to be a hindrance in their journey to the playoffs. Taking on a formi­d­able Chennai, SRH would hope that they do not run out of luck today and extend their unbeaten win-streak at in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, Chennai, who need one more win to cement their place for the playoffs, would look to put up a much better show than they had in their previous clash against the Mumbai Indians.

CSK registered the lowest score this IPL when they were dismissed for a paltry 79 against MI.

But the team and the management have taken this defeat in their stride and have said that it was good that this loss happened during the league matches rather than at a later stage.

Today’s match will be a battle of not just talent but one of strength, tactics, luck and undoubtedly grit.

While Chennai Super Kings have experience on their and a brilliant batting line-up, SRH have a bowling attack which has done extremely well this IPL season.

Four teams, the sides from the second to the fifth positions, are all tied on 14 points.

Rajasthan Royals, who are placed fourth, will seek victory in today’s match when they take on the Delhi Daredevils today in Jaipur.

A win for the Royals today would help them either be placed at the second or third spot (depending on the outcome of the Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders match).

Rajasthan Royals have had a good run at their home ground. They have put up a decent show this season and a victory today can see them get closer to qualifying for the play-offs.

Delhi Daredevils, on the other hand, after a shoddy performance this season, do not stand a chance of making it to the play-offs. They were required to win every match, from their previous clash, but after their miserable defeat to the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, DD, and Pune Warriors India, can only play for pride.

Meanwhile, all the teams fighting for the top four spots, realise that it will not be only a matter of winning the matches but they would also have to improve their net runrate since their looks to be a good chance of the NRR coming into play.

Keeping this in mind, Rajasthan Royals would hope to secure a comfortable victory.

Skipper Rahul Dravid has led his side from the front. He has been well supported by his teammates who have chipped in when needed.

Shane Watson has hit a century this season while James Faulkner has been the only player to scalp five wickets in a single innings.

Players like Ajinkya Rahane and Stuart Binny only add to the team’s strength.

The fight for the top-four spots in the sixth season of the IPL, is getting more intense with every passing day and every passing match.

While the Delhi Daredevils and the Pune Warriors India no longer stand a chance to make it to the playoffs, the remaining seven teams will fight it out till the last to make it to the next round.

In today’s match, Kings XI Punjab take on the formidable Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mohali. The RCB side have had a splendid run this season and are currently placed at the second position on the points table.

While they have done well at home, their performance in the away matches has not been upto the mark although the Challengers managed to win their previous tie against KKR which was played in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, Kings XI Punjab cannot afford to lose this match since they have only four victories from the ten matches they have played.

While Adam Gilchrist is most likely going to sit out of this match, the weight of taking the team forward would fall on the shoulders of David Hussey.

However, the KXIP side, on a good day at office, can prove to be threatening to their opponents.

David Miller has proven to be a good striker of the ball while Shaun Marsh, Azhar Mahmood, Piyush Chawla and Praveen Kumar had contributed on most instances.

It will be an interesting match to watch out for since the Royal Challengers Bangalo­re would look to seal a place among the top four while, on the other hand, Punjab would need this victory to help them make it to the playoffs.

It will be a close contest when table-toppers Chennai Super Kings clash with Mumbai Indians today on the latter’s home turf.

Chennai has had a superb run this IPL season and will look to continue playing in same fashion.

Meanwhile, Mumbai would do everything possible to win this match and get back to being among the top-four as they are currently placed at the fifth position.

Mumbai lost their previous encounter to the Sunrisers Hyderabad while Chennai Super Kings defeated Kings XI Punjab in their last match.

Both Chennai and Mumbai have played against each other earlier in this tournament and MI emerged victorious over the Kings.

It was a close match which CSK lost and the Chennai side would hope to seek revenge on this occasion.

But with Chennai Super Kings’ current form, it would undoubtedly be an uphill task for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals take on Pune Warriors India at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Pune, who, after losing nine matches this year and being placed last on the points table, do not stand a chance to make it to the playoffs, would look to redeem their lost pride and post a worthwhile victory.

At the same time the Rahul Dravid-led Rajasthan Royals side would eye another win and strengthen their chances of retaining their place among the top four teams.

Although the Royals, who are placed at the fourth position, lost their previous match against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, they undoubtedly are the formidable side among the two teams (RR and PWI) and stand a much higher chance of winning today’s match.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have an unbeaten four win streak at home are set to clash with the Del­hi Daredevils on the former’s turf.

Both these teams have play­ed against each other earlier th­is season and it was the Hydera­bad side which proved to be victorious on that occasion.

The Sunrisers who are playing their first season this year, were considered as the underdogs when the IPL-6 began but they proved to be better than that having won six matches from the 10 they played.

Their unbeaten streak at home, gives them the advantage over the Daredevils who have performed way below par this year.

Delhi, who were the table toppers last season, have put up a contrasting show this time as they are currently staggering at the eight position having won only three of the 10 matches they have played.

With more than half the tournament having been completed, every match from now on would be make an impact in deciding who makes it to the playoffs.

DD, who have two back to back victories, eye to make it three in a row and will have to win every match from here on to reach the top four. While it looks difficult for the DD to re­ach the qualifiers, Hyde­ra­bad would aim to win comfortably in their bid to improve their net runrate w­hi­ch could be a deciding factor at the end of the league stage.

While, DD, under the guida­nce of Viv Richards, look to win this match, SRH would aim to turn the tide in their fa­vour. Th­eir bowlers have done well on most instances and now, like in their previous match ag­ainst the Mumbai Indians, the batsmen will also have to do their bit.

Meanwhile, most expect it to be a low scoring tie, like it has been in case of all the previous IPL-6 games played here.

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Rajasthan Royals in their IPL clash which is scheduled to be played at Kolkata tonight.

The Knights have been struggling to find their form and are placed at a lowly seventh position on the points table. A defeat today could seal the fate of the Knight Riders and eliminate their chances of making it to the playoffs.

Kolkata Knight Riders have an enviable side on paper but the players have failed to rise to the occasion and have lost matches which could have otherwise swung in their favour.

Even with the likes of skipper Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Pathan and Brett Lee and Brendon McCullum, KKR have failed to impress anyone this season. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals are comfortably placed at the third spot on the points table.

The Rahul Dravid-led side have won six of their nine matches and the manner in which they have performed this year, it seems unlikely that they would lose today’s match.

James Faulkner has been the best find for the Royals and after his five-wicket haul recently, he is also in the competition for the purple cap. Other players, including Dravid, Stuart Binny, Shane Watson and Ajit Chandila have contributed well.

Rajasthan Royals have played the least number of matches in comparison to the other teams this season. Hence if they continue playing in a similar manner then they could be one of the teams which make it to the top four positions and into the playoffs.

Chennai Super Kings take on Kings XI Punjab today on their home turf while Pune Warriors are set to clash with the Royal Challengers Bangalore at Pune.

Chennai are currently at the top of the table with 16 points from 10 matches. They have lost only two matches and look to be going very strong.

Meanwhile Kings XI Punjab are presently placed on the sixth position. They have eight points from nine matches and need to win today’s match in order to strengthen their chances of making it to the top four.

They missed out on a victory narrowly in their last match when they lost by four runs against the Mumbai Indians.

While the KXIP side need this victory badly, the formidable Royal Challe­ngers Bangalore take on Pune Warriors India in the second match of the day.

Pune have won only two matches from the 10 they have played and a loss today could as well bring the curtains down on their chance of making it to the playoffs.

PWI have been struggling in all the seasons of the they have participated in and they do not have a different tale to narrate this time either.

RCB, currently placed on the second rung on the points table, would look to increase their chances and sealing a be­rth in the playoffs while Pune would look to redeem their pride and secure a win.

While the RCB-PWI clash may look to be one-sided, the battle between CSK and KXIP would be the match to watch out for, today.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have played three games on their home turf in this season of the IPL and have managed to win all of them.

They will look to extend this win streak when they take on the Mumbai Indians today.

The SRH side have ten points from nine games and are currently placed at the fifth position on the points table.

Hyderabad were earlier considered as the underdogs of the IPL-6 but they surprised one and all when they won five off the seven games they played. But this equation soon changed as they lost their previous two matches.

In their last tie against the Rajasthan Royals, the Sunrisers were in a pathetic position as their score, at one point of time, read six for 29.

It was Darren Sammy who saved the team from embarrassment hitting 60 off 41 deliveries and guiding them to a decent 144. But this knock failed to see SRH post a victory as they lost by eight wickets.

The batting of the Sunrisers side has been a cause of concern since the very beginning and usually won matches because of their bowling with the likes of Dale Steyn and Amit Mishra in the side. But in the recent past, even their bowling failed to be effective.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians, who have had a good run under Rohit Sharma, would look to continue with their good form.

Currently placed fourth on the points table, the Mumbai team would hope to live up to the expectations of all the fans.

They would look to be formidable on the field, just as they are considered to be on paper.

It will be a tight battle as the Mumbai take on the Hydera­bad, the side which has an unbeaten win streak at home.

Rajasthan Royals are set to clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore on the former’s home turf in Jaipur.

The previous time these two sides had clashed, the Royals from Bangalore drew first blood. They restricted Rajasthan to a paltry 117 and then reached the target in just 17.5 overs with seven wickets remaining.

The Virat Kohli led side have been having a good run in the recent past. They won six off the nine matches they played and are currently placed second on the points table.

Hard hitter Chris Gayle’s unbeaten knock of 175 will remain in people’s memory for a long time to come.

But the big man faltered in RCB’s previous clash when they lost to Mumbai Indians.

Although RCB failed to post a victory on Saturday, they will still be looking at getting back to their winning ways.

With Gayle, Kohli, AB de Villiers and Vinay Kumar among the others in the side, RCB look to be a difficult team to defeat.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals, who are placed a rung below RCB on the points table, cannot be taken lightly. They have performed well this season and have clinched five victories from eight matches.

If Rajasthan manage to win today’s match, they stand a chance of swapping places with the Royal Challengers Bangalore on the table.

While the odds are nearly equal for both the teams, the fact that the Royals would be playing at home, just happens to tilt the balance a little more in their favour.

While RCB have Gayle’s force with them, RR have an equally competent player in Shane Watson. May the best player and his side win.

Defending champions, Kolkata Knight Rid­ers have put up a contrasting performance this season in comparision to the manner in which they played last year.

The Kolkata side has managed to earn only four points after they won two matches of the seven they have played. They are currently at the seventh position on the points table.

The Knights, who look formidable on paper with the likes of skipper Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Eion Morgan and Yusuf Pathan in the team, have failed to live up to the expectations and have fumbled on more instances than one.

They came close to victory in their last match against Mumbai Indians, but ended up on the losing after the latter defeated them by 5 wickets with a ball to spare.

Kolkata Knight Riders are set to meet Kings XI Punjab today at the Eden Gardens.

Meanwhile, the Kings have had a better run this season than the Knights. They have won four matches from the seven they have played and are at the fifth position with eight points.

A win in this match could see them catapult to the third spot, going ahead of the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Rajasthan Royals.

The Adam Gilchrist-led side have put up some splendid performances though they have not been consistent this season.

Gilchrist is yet to come up with a match-winning knock and he has admitted that his position is under scrutiny.

However, the others players have put up a decent show. Harmeet Singh claimed the man-of-the-match award in their previous clash against Delhi Daredevils while David Hussey, Praveen Kumar, David Miller and the others have managed well.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad, currently placed third on the points table, have bee­n boosted with the arrival of In­dian batsman Shikhar Dhawan in the side as they take on Che­nnai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram stadium today.

Dhawan is yet to make an appearance in this season’s IPL as he was out of action due to an injury he had sustained on his left hand during a Austra­lia’s tour to India in March.

Dhawan who scored his maiden ton on his Test debut, was last seen in action during that match. The SRH are all pumped up and believe that the hard hitter’s presence would help the team in posting bigger totals, a task which the side has consistently failed in doing.

But it remains to be seen how the Sunrisers from Hyderabad perform today, as they played their last match on April 17, eight days before they play against Chennai today.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Super Kings, who are a notch above SRH on the points table have had a good run on their home ground. They managed to defeat Rajasthan Royals in the previous match when the two met on the former’s home ground on Tuesday.

They chased down a formidable total of 185 runs which was posted by the Royals.

It will be difficult for the Sunrisers Hyderabad to defeat the Chennai Super Kings on their home turf especially with most of the players being in top form.

The CSK, who have already won the trophy on two occasions earlier, not only look formidable on paper but have also proved to be good on the field. It remains to be seen if the newest team in the IPL are able the keep the Chennai giants away.

The teams placed sixth and seventh on the points table, i.e Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively, are set to clash today at the Eden Gardens.

Mumbai Indians, who look like a formidable side on the paper, have not lived upto the expectations of the team and their fans.

Skipper Ricky Ponting is yet to play a match winning innings while the others like Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik and Mitchell Johnson have performed well but only on certain instances.

Indian master blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, who celebrates his 40th birthday today, has failed to threaten any of his opponents.

Harbhajan Singh is another player from whom a lot was expected by could not live up to the hype that was created.

Mumbai Indians, who seem to have lost their form in the re­cent past would look to regain their winning touch when they take on KKR tonight.

Meanwhile, Kolkata, who also happen to be the defending champions, have managed to win only two of the six matches that they have played.

Kolkata, who played their last match against Chennai Super Kings on the former’s home turf, failed miserably, having posted a paltry 119 in their 20 overs. CSK, struggled a bit in the run chase but eventually reached the target with four wickets to spare.

The two sides will not only be eyeing a victory but they would also look to improve their net run rate.

A good net run rate could prove to be the turning point for qualifying for the play-offs as many teams are going neck to neck and there could come a time when they are tied on points and hence the net run rate would come into play.

It will be a match of teams evenly poised when Chennai Super Kings take on Rajasthan Royals today at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai.

Both the sides have eight points each from six games and are placed at the third and fourth positions on the points table in the order of CSK and RR respectively.

Chennai are on a high after their victory against Kolkata Knight Riders, when the two sides clashed on Saturday.

The Kings restricted the Knights to a paltry 119. While it seemed that CSK would reach that total in no span of time, that did not happen as they huffed and puffed their way to victory.

It was not until a heroic knock from Ravindra Jadeja, who slammed 36 runs from 14 balls, did Chennai look like they would win the match.

But the same luck did not prevail in the case of Rajasthan Royals who lost their previous match when they clashed with Royal Challengers Bangalore, also on Saturday.

They took first strike but unfortunately were bundled out for a mere 117 runs, a target which the opponents comfortably reached in 17.5 overs.

Both the teams would be eyeing a win in this match, as a victory today can catapult the winning side to the top of the points table.

Both the teams have performed well throughout this tournament. While Chennai was always considered as one of the top teams, Rajasthan did not have the same tag and were treated as underdogs.

But Rajasthan have done well this season and have been preforming consistently. If they continue to put up a show of this kind, it should not be a surprise if they not only win today’s mat­ch but also the cup, eventually.