IPL 2009 - Mission Impossible for Punjab Kings XI?
by Juris Graney
WITH just one week of matches left before the semi-finals, betting on IPL is certainly going to get a lot more interesting.
It is a time where form is crucial but momentum is everything, where one mistake can cost your team and where heroes are made.
Quite rightly Delhi Daredevils (-165) as clear favorites against Kings XI Punjab (+125) and there is probably little chance of the latter scoring an upset win.
In fact, the chances are extremely slight however we said that about Bangalore’s chances of an upset win against Chennai yesterday and they managed to do just that.
But this by all reckoning is a case of mission impossible.
Delhi (P10/W8/L2) sit on top of the competition table on 16 points a clear three points from the closest rival while Punjab (P11/W5/L6) are second last on run rate on 10 points but seven points clear of cellar dwelling Kolkata Knight Riders.
Table position aside, it is case of who wants the win the most.
Delhi have a maximum of three games left after this one against Punjab and will want victories in all three to claim the coveted top spot while Punjab are just one loss away from missing the semi-finals. As do or die goes, this is it for Punjab.
When the two teams met in match three at Cape Town on April 19, very little could be taken from the rain-affected fixture.
Punjab finished 7/104 after 12 overs after a 67-run opening stand between Karan Goel and Ravi Bopara and looked like securing a bigger score however Delhi fought back and took 6/37.
More rain reduced Delhi’s chase to a target of 54 runs in six overs something that captain Virender Sehwag (38 not out off 16 balls) and Gautam Gambhir (15 not out off 13 balls) set about doing at 12 runs an over.
Punjab’s eight-wicket loss against Mumbai may have ended their tournament earlier with little or no confidence taken from that match.
Stick with the favourites Delhi in this outing.
