Indian Premier League and Cricket News by IPL Cricket Forum

Editorial: Mohit Goyal

Indian Premier League Match Preview – Semi final 2

Kings XI Punjab Vs Chennai Super Kings

Semi final 2 is to be played between the teams which stood at the second and third positions in the league.

The Armies – Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings

Kings XI Punjab with 20 points stood at the top of the league winning 10 of their 14 matches.Delhi Daredevils qualified by grabbing the third. They were victorious in 8 of their 14 matches. They ended on 16 points.

The Battleground – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Wankhede always has purchase for spinners and there was enough encouragement for spinners in the first semi final.

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After reaching back home all Australian cricketers are of the opinion that playing on the same side with Indian players has helped mend strained relations.

“It’s been an incredible experience. It’s been one that’s broken down the cultural barriers that perhaps existed through the course of this summer but also, more than anything, it’s been a hell of a lot of fun to play in,” Australia’s star batsman Matthew Hayden, who played for Chennai Super Kings, told reporters in Brisbane.

In fact after the bitter exchange and strained relations between the two teams during the recent tour of India - Hayden is not at all happy with Harbhajan’s punishment and the total affair.

“I think it was a pretty disappointing thing. I just think we’ve all tried to move on from anything to do with taking a backward step in the way last summer went on,” Hayden said.

Hayden was also charged by Cricket Australia for breaching the Code of Behaviour as he mentioned Harbhajan as an “obnoxious little weed”.

As Australians prepare for the upcoming test at Brisbane, Hayden said he needed to make “big adjustments” to be prepared for the West Indies tour that will have three Tests and five One-Day Internationals.

Apart from Hayden, other Australians who played in the IPL include Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Symonds and retired greats Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and spin wizard Shane Warne.

This is indeed one of the positive effects of their two week participation in the Indian premier League. Needless to say both sides learnt a lot about each other and many barriers disappeared during their stay. Also the fans enjoyed a team work never seen before which was much beyond regional and national barriers.