1st Semi-Final at Centurion - Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers
1st Semi-Final - Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers
May 22, 2009
After 56 incredibly entertaining matches, the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) are about to start. Delhi Daredevils, under the leadership of Virendra Sehwag, who with 10 wins from their 14 games played are clear favourites for the title when they meet early leaders Deccan Chargers. Chargers went 4 games unbeaten to start their 2009 campaign, after finishing rock bottom in 2008. AB De Villiers was the top scorer for Delhi Daredevils in the group stage, with 439 from 12 innings with a superb average of 54.9 and a strike rate of 131.4. For Deccan Chargers, Adam Gilchrist top scored with 410 from 14 innings at an average of 29.3 and a strike rate of 142.9. He hit 24 sixes and 44 fours in the group stages.
The two times the teams met in the group stage, Delhi won both encounters. In their first encounter, Delhi won comfortably by 6 wickets with 8 balls to spare, after Deccan set them a target of 148/9. In the second match, Delhi set a target of 173, and Deccan fell short by 12 runs, after losing 7 wickets for 12 runs.
RP Singh (Deccan) and Ashish Nehra (Delhi) are the two leading wicket-takers in the tournament, with Nehra two behind RP Singh's 20.
Delhi Daredevils: G Gambhir, DA Warner, V Sehwag (capt), TM Dilshan, AB de Villiers, KD Karthik, R Bhatia, A Mishra, DP Nannes, P Sangwan, A Nehra.
Hyderabad (Deccan Chargers): AC Gilchrist (capt), HH Gibbs, TS Suman, RG Sharma, A Symonds, Y Venugopal Rao, AA Bilakhia, RJ Harris, PP Ojha, Harmeet Singh, RP Singh.
1st Semi-Final at Centurion - Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers
First Semi-Final: Gilchrist blasts Chargers into the final
Chasing 153 set by Delhi, Deccan captain Adam Gilchrist blazed away, hitting the fastest IPL half century in 17 balls, to set up his team a comfortable victory. Dirk Nannes, one of the best bowlers of this IPL, was clobbered for five consecutive boundaries in the first over. Gilchrist fell for 85 from 35 balls one delivery before the strategic break, but the damage had been done by then. Deccan won with six wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare. They will meet the winners of the second Semi between Chennai and Bangalore.
DD v DC, First Semi: Deccan Chargers 154 for 4 (Gilchrist 85) beat Delhi Daredevils 153 for 8 (Dilshan 65, Sehwag 39, Harris 3-27) by six wickets
After 56 incredibly entertaining matches, the semi-finals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) are about to start. Delhi Daredevils, under the leadership of Virendra Sehwag, who with 10 wins from their 14 games played are clear favourites for the title when they meet early leaders Deccan Chargers. Chargers went 4 games unbeaten to start their 2009 campaign, after finishing rock bottom in 2008.