CSK eve third consecutive title as they take on KKR

 Less than 50 days ago, you would be hard-pressed to remember where you had heard the name Sunil Narine.

In fact, when Kolkata Knight Riders had bought him for the astronomical sum of $ 700,000 at the Indian Premier League auction in Bangalore in February, team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was asked why they were breaking the bank for an unknown off-spinner from Trinidad.

Khan's answer had been simple: "We wanted him, we got him, and the price was high due to a bidding war with Mumbai Indians." Narine turned 24 on Saturday, and the difference between him then and now is the fame and recognition that has come with being the biggest game-changer in this edition of the multi-million dollar league. And yet, on the field, the man continues to be a bit shy and unassuming, letting his mysterious variations speak volumes for his talent.

He is the Knight Riders' bowling mainstay, no matter what the match situation is, and how he fares in perhaps the biggest pressure game of his life so far will probably decide whether fans will get to see a new champion when the dust has settled over the final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Sunday.

The Knight Riders' run to the final has not been due to Narine alone, for in cricket, one individual can't win you every game. Their campaign has been steered wonderfully by Gautam Gambhir, who has been by far their best batsman, and the sort of motivational captain that can take the fight to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's two-time defending champions, the Chennai Super Kings.

The rest of the team members have been pushed to the background, but have chipped in with performances here and there to help them win nine out of the 11 games after a slow start. But the key for them has been the performance of the back-up spinners, and Shakib Al Hasan and Iqbal Abdulla have supported Narine very well.

The Super Kings, on the other hand, sneaked in to the play-offs, but finally came back to their most dangerous form when faced with the prospect of losing their crown.

They knocked the stuffing out of Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, before stomping hard on the league leaders, Delhi Daredevils in the second Qualifier. Murali Vijay's return to form with a century is just the sort of boost their top-order needed at this stage, since a good start coupled with their long batting line-up means they can put up or chase down any score. That and the experience of having played three previous finals will come in handy.

The one factor that gives Chennai a huge edge is the sea of yellow shirts that turns up for every game, and it will be up to Narine and Gambhir to silence them. 'Yatra pratibha avsara prapnotihi' (where talent gets an opportunity) reads the Sanskrit inscription on the IPL trophy, and it is up to the Knight Riders to make use of the opportunity to showcase their talent and break Chennai's stranglehold on it.

Knight Riders beat Daredevils, qualify for main

Pune, May 23:Kolkata Knight Riders continued their good run and secured their maiden final berth in the Indian Premier League(IPl) final with a convincing 18-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Qualifier-I at the Subrato Roy Sahara stadium here Tuesday.

Yusuf Pathan (40 not out) and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (24 not out) put on a stand of 56 runs off 24 balls catapulting the Knight Riders to a score of 162 for four in 20 overs. Pathan was also adjudged as Man of the Match.

Jacques Kallis and Sunil Narine took two wickets each as they helped their team restrict the Daredevils to 144 for eight.

For Daredevils, however, all is not lost as they still have a chance to qualify for the final. In the second qualifier, slated for Friday, Daredevils will face the winner of eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. The winner of the second qualifier will face Knight Riders in Sunday's grand finale in Chennai.

For Knight Riders it was their third consecutive win and second against Daredevils in the season.

Daredevils had their hopes pinned on a good start by David Warner (7) and Virender Sehwag (10) scoring freely.

However, a poor decision by umpire Billy Doctrove ended the Australian's innings prematurely. Sehwag edged one off the bowling of Lakshmipathy Balaji in the very next ball to give the Knight Riders a double breakthrough.

Naman Ojha (28) and Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene (40) brought the Daredevils back into the chase. The two put on a partnership of 59 runs off 49 balls for the third wicket as Delhi seemed well on their way to chasing down Kolkata's target.

Ojha's wicket brought the run rate down. Venugopal Rao (13)could not get the bowlers away and that piled the pressure on the Sri Lankan at the other end. Jayawardene tried to hit one out of the park but got stumped off the bowling Iqbal Abdulla. After his wicket it was all downhill for the Daredevils.

Delhi management made a blunder by not sending in Ross Taylor up the order as Pawan Negi (14) and Rao failed to close in on Kolkata's score. Taylor (11) was left with too much to do in the need and West Indian spinner Narine wrapped the match for Kolkata by taking two wickets of successive balls in the final over.

Earlier, electing to bat, skipper Gautam Gambhir yet again gave his team a flying start scoring 32 off 16 balls. Gambhir and Brend on McCullum (31) put on 48 runs for the first wicket before the former got run outin a mix up between the two.

The left-hander's wicket led to a dip in the scoring rate for the Kolkata. McCullum and Jacques Kallis (33) put on a stand of 39 runs off 41 balls for the second wicket.

The New Zealander trying to up the ante, holed out in the deep off the bowling of spinner Pawan Negi. Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan (1) who came in next did not last too long as he edged one to keeper Ojha.

With the score on 106 for four at the end of the 15th over, Kolkata seemed to be in a spot of bother however, Yusuf Pathan, who has been woefully short of form this season, strung a match winning partnership with Laxmi Ratan Shukla (24 not out).

Kolkata scored 63 off the last five overs as they got out of a sticky situation and posted a stiff target.

India vs Sri Lanka Live Score: Asia Cup – 2nd ODI

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Mirpur: The preview of the first match of the Asia cup for India revolved around the all elusive 100th 100 for Sachin Tendulkar. But in the in the 6th over when Lakmal sent the Master Blaster packing, the unsung hero Gautam Gambhir (100 runs)and the pin-up boy of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli (108 runs) took centre stage as India defeated Sri Lanka by 50 runs in their opening encounter of the Asia Cup here at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on Tuesday.

Chasing a target of 304 set by India, Sri Lanka started off rather ominously only to lose track of the chase owing to some tight bowling lead by Irfan Pathan (8.1-1-32-4) and Ravichandran Ashwin (9-0-39-3).

For Sri Lanka, the captain stepped up again as he racked up 78 runs in just 59 balls first up and along with Kumar Sangakkara (65) kept the islanders on track chasing 304 but the rest of the batsmen failed to make any significant contributions down the order.

Delhi lads steamroll Lanka bowling

Facing the Lankans first up in the Asia Cup was in a way chance at redemption for the Indians after a dismal CB series and after being put into bat by Jayawardene, India had a disappointing start. Sachin Tendulkar was out to a Lakmal full toss for just six runs. Without Malinga in the squad, the early breakthrough would have been bonus for Lanka but Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli ensured that the Lankans would not celebrate another wicket for the next 37 overs.

In an absolute belter of a track like Mirpur where the ball stopped occasionally, both the Delhi lads got the measure of the pitch quickly and started the 205-run partnership without much hoopla. With the ball coming at knee length rather than at chest, both where at ease hitting in the conventional ‘V’ rather often and coupled with some good running between the wicket there was no stopping the duo.

Their innings was identical to say the least with Kohli amping up the tempo later in the innings with some ariel shots. The always proactive Jayawardene was clearly out of ideas to break the partnership and without his prime bowler Malinga to bank upon, he had to do with his part-time spinners. Gauti in particular enjoyed milking them, occasionally dancing down the track for quick singles and doubles.

The fielding, which generally is the highlight of the Sri Lankan outfit was sloppy. Dinesh Chandimal who was the culprit of dropping absolute dollies in Australia spilled a very crucial chance of dismissing Gambhir when he was on 37. Misfields from generally reliable Nuwan Kulasekara and even Jayawardene did not help their cause.

Though, both Kohli and Gambhir notched up a partnership of 205, the run-rate was a manageable 5.54 runs per over courtesy tight bowling by Lakmal and Mahroof in the middle overs. But without the penetrative effect of taking wickets, Lanka where under the scanner for a run feast in the death overs and that is what exactly happened.

Raina and Dhoni come to the party

When Mahroof scalped both Gambhir and Kohli in the same over, it seemed that the momentum might have been halted and India might as well experience their death over collapse. But, this being the subcontinent, Dhoni and Raina knew they were on familiar territories as they started the thrust from a well laid platform by the Delhi lads. The last 10 overs produced 95 runs and the last 5 were milked for 63. Raina’s 17-ball 30 included his trademark one-knee hoicks towards deep midwicket and Dhoni’s 26-ball 46 had his helicopters and inside out hoists.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second ODI of the Asia Cup 2012 on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka are handicapped with the absence of pace spearhead Lasith Malinga. He will be replaced by Suranga Lakmal. India opted for Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Yusuf Pathan.

India face a tough test in their opening fixture as they face an in-form Sri Lankan side in the Asia Cup 2012 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur today.

With a series of failures in the recent past, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and men are left to prove a point to earn back the battered reputation.

Pitch report: Even though there was some grass present on the pitch it would hardly change the nature of the pitch. Expert opinion: Should be good for batting.

"We were looking to bowl first as well. It is not a bad thing to bat first as well. We are happy with the team that we have got. We are going through a transition phase, it is not a settled side, youngsters are still looking to seal places in the side, there is a lot of competition, which is good. It is good to have the experience of Sachin in the side," Dhoni said after losing toss.

India: 

Dhoni, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, R Vinay Kumar.

Sri Lanka: 

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Seekkuge Prasanna.