Mumbai Indians vs. Kolkata Knight Riders

What's at stake: For Kolkata Knight Riders fight to stay alive in the tournament, it’s a case of now or never. If it happens now then fine or else they could all watch the semifinals on TV. Mumbai Indians need to keep up the momentum.

Captain vs captain: Brendon McCullum needs to fire, if he does, good, if he doesn't Kolkata Knight Riders can kiss their chances goodbye. Sachin Tendulkar had led the team well, and despite the loss to Kings XI Punjab in a low-scoring game, kept up the morale of the side hig.

Key battles: Sachin Tendulkar's contest against Ishant Sharma promises to be the tussle that everyone will want to watch. But you have Lasith Malinga slinging in those fast yorkers which is bound to have the likes of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum interested too.

Team news: Chris Gayle leaves Kolkata Knight Riders right after this game, so it’s the last chance for him to make amends.

Form guide: Kolkata Knight Riders are struggling to get a win on the board but Mumbai Indians have shown they can crumble under pressure. So it makes for a contest with plenty to look forward to.

What happened the last time they met: Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya were let loose on Kolkata Knight Riders in Port Elizabeth and the rest is history. Mumbai Indians put up such a huge total, that Kolkata Knight Riders crumbled under pressure.

Man of the match: It was Sachin Tendulkar all the way as Mumbai Indians won with plenty to spare in Port Elizabeth:

Captain vs captain in that meeting: Sachin Tendulkar won the contest hands down making Brendon McCullum declare his intent to quit if his team didn't make the semifinals.

Relieved Royal Challengers wave goodbye to their captain

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Brendan McCullum looked like a man with an overweight and very dead albatross around his neck when he fronted up to the media after his team plunged to the bottom of the IPL standings at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

The normally ebullient Kiwi was the picture of gloom as he contemplated his team's fourth defeat in six matches, with one washed out. It was no compensation that they came close to defending a modest total of 139 in a thriller, with Royal Challengers Bangalore man of the match, Mark Boucher, hitting the winning runs with one ball to spare.

At a press conference in Durban on Tuesday night, McCallum-who replaced the iconic Sourav Ganguly as skipper for this year's tournament said he would quit the captaincy if he couldn't inspire his team to reach the semi-finals. "If I can't do that, then I am not the right man for the job and will happily step aside."

It's clear that McCullum is wobbling on his throne, conceding that his team had simply not played well enough. He did, however, insist that Kolkata could still reach the last four. "We've got to still keep believing that we can do it," he said repeatedly with not a great deal of conviction.

By contrast, the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kevin Pietersen, was a picture of smiling satisfaction as he quickly answered a few questions before rushing off to the airport to board a plane back to England. With England facing the West Indies in the first Test at Lord's next Wednesday, the former England captain's focus is now on the five-day game rather than the 20-over fete.

"Test cricket is the pinnacle and there's no other form of the game that I would choose before Test cricket," he said as he assessed the challenges ahead of his this English summer, first against the Caribbean islanders and then against Australia in the Ashes series. Pietersen, however, made it clear that he'd had a ball at the IPL. "I've absolutely loved playing here. I know I haven't scored as many runs as I can but to keep the boys happy and smiling has been brilliant. I've felt like a kid again in this team with all the youngsters giving us a freshness that has been magnificent," he gushed.

Pietersen's interesting tactic of opening with two spin bowlers and focusing largely on spin (15 of the 20 overs were delivered by four spinners) paid off as the Knight Riders were restricted to 139 for six in their 20 overs.

Dilshan powers Daredevils to sweet victory

Tillekeratne Dilshan powered Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket victory, first by playing watchfully and then by launching an all-out attack against Deccan Chargers bowlers in a keenly-fought DLF Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Dilshan made an unbeaten 52 (46 balls, four fours, three sixes), slamming off-spinner Y Venugopala Rao and paceman Fidel Edwards at will. The two bowlers conceded 35 runs in overs number 17 and 19, with Dilshan scoring the most to put paid to the Deccan Chargers' aspirations of securing a fifth straight win Dilshan was helped in a critical 79-run stand fourth wicket stand with Dinesh Karthik (41) as he steered Delhi Daredevils home with eight balls to spare after the team was set a 149-run target for victory by Deccan Chargers. Left-arm paceman Dirk Nannes, who prised out both Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs cheaply, was the man of the match.

Delhi Daredevils' chase followed the pattern set by Deccan Chargers innings – the openers fell early and there was a repair job by the middle-order batsmen, Dwayne Smith for Deccan Chargers and Dilshan for Delhi Daredevils. But the key differences lay in the fact that Dilshan found lasting support from Karthik and stayed back himself to complete the task.

In what turned out to be the final over of the contest, Dilshan was struck on the helmet by an Edwards bouncer but he sprang back like a man possessed and hooked the pacebowler out of the park to complete his half-century and his team's victory, welcome after the loss to Rajasthan Royals the other night.

The win enabled Delhi Daredevils to return to the second place in the league table with eight points, the same as Deccan Chargers after five games each. Deccan Chargers, who lost their first game in the IPL 2009 season, topped the table with a superior net run rate to Delhi Daredevils.

I am itching to get into playing XI: Makhaya Ntini

Having missed the initial matches of the ongoing DLF Indian Premier League due to the four foreign players restriction, South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini it itching to get into Chennai Super Kings playing XI.

In an exclusive interview with iplt20.com, the paceman spoke his heart out about bowling in death and his side’s chances of making it into last four.

Do you think your side Chennai Super Kings can make it to semis?
We definitely have a good chance, although we didn’t have a good start. We've got three good quick bowlers in L Balaji, Manpreet Gony and Albie Morkel. But I think the key is going to be our batsmen. We need to bat big like we did last time around.

How frustrating it is to miss the matches and warming the benches?
Yeah, I do miss playing matches. I do watch the guys and think that I can still do a job out there. I still have the feeling that I can make it to the playing XI.

What are your views on bowling in death?
Well, it's changed over the years. In the past, you just had to run up and try and bowl six yorkers. But the game has changed now, with the Powerplays only allowing two players outside the circle. You still need a good yorker, but you must mix it up with a slower ball and also a good bouncer. So, one has to keep the batsman guessing with variations.

I was nervous when picked over McGrath: Nannes

After playing an instrumental role in Delhi Daredevils six-wicket win over Deccan Chargers, Dirk Nannes said he was delighted with his performance and thanked his team management for backing him even when he was not doing well. The Australian bowler claimed the wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs and finished with figures of 4-0-16-2.

On getting early wickets: I think it was great, just the start we needed in the match. I am delighted to contribute to the team’s success. I am enjoying my bowling and the Indian Premier League has been going well for me till now.

On condition of the pitch: It was great. I got the ball moving and was enjoying every moment of it. I didn’t do too well in the last match but the guys backed me and it is good to live up to the expectations of the team.

On calling himself the reluctant cricketer: To be honest I never wanted to play professional cricket. Hence, I said that I was a reluctant cricketer. But now it is the number one sport for me. I am not someone who has come into first class cricket through school level or university level.

On IPL in South Africa: It is fantastic to be here and perform in front of the crowds. I also feel pressure because I know that millions will be watching me perform here in South Africa. The Indian Premier League is a fantastic concept and I love being a part of it.

On keeping Glenn McGrath out of playing XI: I was very nervous when I was fielded in the first match. I knew there would be lot of expectations from me and I would have to perform outstandingly. May be one day, I will tell me grandchildren that I was responsible for keeping out the greatest fast bowler of all times of a playing XI.

On plans against Gibbs: We have plans, but nothing specifically for Gibbs. Today I got better of him, maybe some other day he will hit me. I tried to stick to my basics and thankfully he got out.

On skiing and cricket: It is a tough one. Skiing is an individual sport and cricket is a team sport. Since, I have started cricket a bit late, my body still feels young for the game. It is very hard for me to draw comparisons between the two sports but I enjoy both of them. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a team.

On his chances to make it into the Australia T20 squad: I don’t think I can make it since they have already announced the probables. So, may be next time. I will try to impress everyone and let’s see how the things pan out!

Raina makes stunning impact with forthright approach

The scoreboard may have misled him to believe that he had got a century but Chennai Super Kings left-hander Suresh Raina’s 98 against Rajasthan Royals was as invaluable as any hundred in the DLF Indian Premier League cricket history. It was the corner-stone on which Chennai Super Kings found their maiden victory over Rajasthan Royals in four starts.

After the Orange Cap holder Matthew Hayden was caught in a tangle by Yusuf Pathan bowling with the new ball and fell early, Raina played the lead role in dazzling fashion. He dominated the repair job with S Badrinath in a 67-run stand for the third wicket and the breezy 71-run partnership with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to help his team make 164 in 20 overs.

Raina then came back to the field to scalp Rajasthan Royals’ opener Rob Quiney’s wicket with his brand of off-spin besides take a couple of catches, including one off the dangerous Yusuf Pathan to put paid to the defending champions aspirations of scoring a fourth win over Chennai Super Kings.

Of course, Albie Morkel bowled superbly with the new ball, dismissing Graeme Smith and Swapnil Asnodkar in the second and sixth overs to push Rajasthan Royals on to the backfoot. And L Balaji also came up with sensible bowling in the latter half of the chase to finish with very impressive figures of four for 21.

Yet, it was clearly Raina’s day (and night) out at the SuperSport Park here. The aura of confidence that he wore comfortably around him was to be seen to be believed as he hammered the Rajasthan Royals attack with a forthright approach bordering on disdain. He handled pressure with practiced ease.

After three successive defeats, the victory lifted Chennai Super Kings over Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals to a modest fifth place. The top slots are occupied by Deccan Chargers (eight points), Delhi Daredevils (eight), Kings XI Punjab (six) and Mumbai Indians (five),

Rajasthan Royals will be without Tait

Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait has been ruled out of the DLF Indian Premier League action since Cricket Australia believes he has not recovered from the left hamstring injury he sustained in February.

Tait, who was to turn out for Rajasthan Royals, had declared himself fit after two months of treatment but Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said "Shaun Tait won't be playing IPL. He's still working through the rehab programme and it has been determined that he won't be playing IPL. He has a hamstring injury and there are associated issues behind the hamstring injury."

Tait, who was named in Australia's 30-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20 to be held in June, was signed for $375,000 by Rajasthan Royals at the IPL auction in Goa.

Homecoming will be complete now: Zaheer

India's premier left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan sees his turning out for Mumbai Indians in the DLF-Indian Premier League as the completion of his homecoming to the teeming western megapolis where his dreams of becoming a good, successful fast bowler found roots as an under-19 cricketer.

"I wanted to come back to the team that is based in my home city. I was longing for that," he told G Rajaraman of iplt20.com, muffling his excitement about his shift to Mumbai Indians from Royal Challenger Bangalore. He claimed 13 wickets for Bangalore Royal Challengers but was traded for Robin Uthappa so that he could turn out for Mumbai Indians.

Zaheer Khan's evolution as a thinking bowler comes through when the 30-year-old talks about his role as a bowling captain in some ODIs. "You have to concentrate on what you should be doing rather than on what you should not be," he said.

Excerpts from the interview:

Will you say that your turning out for Mumbai Indians in the DLF-Indian Premier League this season completes your homecoming, considering that you did play for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy last year?

It has been like that for me. I started playing Ranji Trophy for Baroda and then moved back to Mumbai. In IPL I started with Royal Challengers Bangalore – I enjoyed it there – but considering the long-term prospects, I wanted to come back to the team that is based in my home city. I was longing for that.

Which of Mumbai Indians' seven rivals would you considered the trickiest?

Chennai Super Kings. They have done exceptionally well last season, with MS (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) being around. They have a lot of good signings this time. I think Chennai Super Kings will be a tough one, yes.

And the Delhi Daredevils?

The T20 is very dynamic and any team can be tough to beat. It depends on your team is doing. The focus is on how well you are jelling together as a team and how you are responding to pressure situations. It is important to win the crucial moments of the game. It could be a 20-run over or it could be getting a wicket or breaking a partnership. In that sense, any team can be good.

But then Virender Sehwag and Gatuam Gambhir…

Obviously, they are one of the best opening pairs. They both run well between wickets. One is really aggressive in terms of attacking the bowlers and the other is sort of plays the holding game They complement one another and they are going to playing for Delhi Daredevils, They are a great plus for the team. Have you seen any chinks in their batting? It is really important to get the ball in the right areas. I would much rather focus on our team and our strength and how we can increase it than focus too much on what they have got or how strong they are. I will back my team to do well on that particular day. I believe in building that momentum, the environment and the winning belief than worrying too much about the opposition.

When did you evolve into this kind of thinking?

It has been a process. The more you play, the more you know about your game and what works for you, what areas you should focus on. I was having a chat with someone and he said 'You much rather look at the gaps in the field and hit the ball there than to look at the fielders and tell yourself not to hit the ball there'. It goes like that. You have to concentrate on what you should be doing rather than on what you should not be.

Do you enjoy your role as bowling captain in some ODIs?

It has been great. MS has been great in showing the confidence in me and putting me in that responsible position. And I have been able to fulfill that role and enjoy being in that position and helping others. You would normally do that but when that additional responsibility is given, it makes you more focussed on your game. It also takes you back to the basics. When you are talking to them, you are telling yourself too. It keeps you in the scheme of things when you are sharing your experience with others. I have been in this kind of environment since the time I have been playing for India.

In the coming weeks, many of your India team-mates will be in the opposition. For instance, you face Dhoni first up. Is there a mindset change called for when you play these games?

At the end of the day, we are professional cricketers. When you are playing for a team, all you are thinking is how to get the team to win. It will be great content. It will be interesting to bowl to MS, who is so threatening in the death overs. It will be a good challenge for me as well. In New Zealand we were pulling each other’s legs. I was telling Yuvraj Singh ‘You are going to hit me for sixes.’ And he was like, ‘No, no, no… I know you will have your ideas and set up fields that make it tough for me to hit’. Those things are going around already. But we all know that when we are on the field, we will be giving our 100 per cent to make our teams win.

Is IPL a contest between bat and ball? Or is there more to it?

Of course, it is a contest but you just prepare differently for each format of the game. For a Test match, I like to take it easy the day before the game because it can go over five days and there is plenty of bowling to be done. You have to be fresh so that you last five days. You are not sure how the game is going to progress. You can gauge how the game is going on the first day. In one-day, it is all about being on the spot from ball one. Dot balls become important. You are allowed to bowl only one bouncer. So strategically you have that to make that mental adjustment. And in Twenty20, since it is dynamic and short, it is explosive. You have to put in that extra bit in terms of warm ups so that you are feeling nice and supple so that you are ready to go the whole hog from the first delivery.

What is the greatest thing about IPL?

It is the exposure that a lot of the under-19 players and others from our domestic circuit get and the amount of learning just being around top international cricketers. They can learn from just watching these cricketers prepare and how they go about things. If the youngsters can learn those things at an early stage of their career, it can make a huge difference to their plans of raising their levels.

Ninety per cent match tickets sold: Modi

DLF Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi has said 90 per cent of the tickets for the Twenty20 mega event starting on Saturday have been sold at the eight venues.

"The ticket prices had been aimed at filling the stadiums," said Modi, ahead of the event which will start with Chennai Super Kings taking on Mumbai Indians in the first match of the day on Saturday. Modi said. “Although the IPL would be returning to India next year, the long-term vision is to turn it into a global brand, much the same way as the English Football Premier League.”

"Spectators will see world's best players playing competitive cricket and it is made more compelling because of the competitive instincts of the players," he added. The IPL chief said an important aspect of the marketing of the competition was advertising and Rand 120 million ($ 10 million) have been earmarked to attract spectators to the games.