ICC Champions Trophy 2013 – 1st Match, Group B: India v South Africa, 6 June

Big names missing in big game

First match of the tournament, every one is exited about the game and the kind of format tournament has, not a single team can take rest at any stage of the tournament. India team have had few bad weeks in the recent times and South Africa team may be missing some fire power in the form of G.Smith and Styen.

With new rules where only four players are allowed outside the 30 yards even after the power play is something which is going to be troublesome of any captain. Imagine all the rules are in favor of  batsmen. 20 overs of power play and then only four players are allowed in non-power play. Seems like ICC have decided that every team should have score 300+ at least in every game.

Anyhow, looking into the strength of both the teams. Indians batsmen have had the history of struggling against fast bowling and this is going to play bigger factor if the pitch would have swinging factor. On the other hand, South African batting line-up is rock solid. Both teams does have good quality pacers but SA bowler's pace make them favorite.

All in all, our expert believe that South Africa should win this game.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 - 1st Match, Group B: India v South Africa, 6 June

  • South Africa (42% Votes)
  • India (58% Votes)

PunterPolls Prediction – Final: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians at Kolkata, 26 May

A final fighting for relevance | PunterPolls Prediction

The IPL final takes place in Kolkata on Sunday, but all the news surrounding the tournament is about events off the field. As Indian cricket and its fans grapple with the dismaying allegations of the past week, the old Apartheid-era slogan - No normal sport in an abnormal society - comes to mind. However, despite the formal charges of corruption against top Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, the 2013 season will reach its scheduled end, when Chennai Super Kings play their fifth IPL final in six seasons, against Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens. An assertion of the game being bigger than the individuals that comprise it, no matter how abnormal the environs.

Super Kings have had an outstanding season, finishing top of the league with 11 wins out of 16 games, and blazed through the first qualifier to seal their finals berth. They are the only team to have won more games than they lost away from home this season; they have the tournament's highest run-scorer and joint top wicket-taker. Their fielders have set standards not matched by most competitors. They have been the IPL's most formidable franchise since its inception, and have the opportunity to enhance that reputation by winning a third title. To do that, however, not only do MS Dhoni's men have to deal with, and overcome the turmoil caused by Meiyappan's arrest, but they also have to deal with a tough opponent.

Mumbai Indians. Their habit of buying the flavours of the season, and of tinkering constantly with their line-up, produced largely disappointing results in IPLs past. This season began the same way, but they took tough decisions - dropping Ricky Ponting and appointing Rohit Sharma as captain - and hit upon a balanced and successful combination earlier than usual. They delighted their home crowds by winning all eight matches at the Wankhede Stadium, but the final is at a neutral venue, and they lost five league games away from home. They are the best franchise to never win the IPL, but that accolade is a slight to the millions that have gone into making the team.

Read more / Source: espncricinfo.com

PunterPolls Predictions

If we look at the Mumbai Indians performances in the last match between Royals, only one expression - Shocking. This team can't play big matches. Their players break down in the pressure just like pop-corn. All they required one good performance in each department batting and bowling. This team with plenty of high profile cricketers with years and years of experience, played like an ordinary team.

On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings star players have played like super stars - Raina, Vijay, Jadeja, Bravo, Morris and who can forget Hussey and Dhoni. This team only can loose if they want to loose. This team does have guts and power to beat 'THE BAND' of best team of the world.  Only problem this team having is bowling and that too not to great extent.

As far as today match is concern, Only advantage that Mumbai does have over the CSK is that they have already played once over this ground/pitch. But last match pitch was quite different then the one we have seen in earlier matches of the tournaments. If today's match will going to be on the same pitch, definitely chasing team does have an advantage to chase the target below 175.

Our experts personal choice? - Chennai Super Kings

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IPL 2013: Final - CSK v Mum Indians, 26 May

  • Mumbai Indians (61% Votes)
  • Chennai Super Kings (39% Votes)

PunterPolls Prediction – Qualifier 2: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals at Kolkata, 24 May

Troubled Rajasthan aim to continue fairytale | PunterPolls Prediction

If Rajasthan Royals are able to produce two more good games, it will be a fairytale for them, according to their captain Rahul Dravid. In many ways, irrespective of what happens next, it is already a fairytale, one that has played out alongside a horrid nightmare during the past week. For a side like Royals to stand on par with and challenge the mightiest of IPL franchises, such as Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, is nothing short of a fairytale.

Sanju Samson, Dishant Yagnik, Stuart Binny, Vikramjeet Malik, Pravin Tambe, and Siddharth Trivedi up against million-dollar superstars. Unknowns against men such as Lasith Malinga and Kieron Pollard, who have defined Twenty20 cricket. A think-tank of Dravid, Paddy Upton, Monty Desai, and Zubin Bharucha, against a think-tank of John Wright, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Anil Kumble, Jonty Rhodes and Robin Singh. "We don't believe in having bowling and fielding coaches," Dravid said. Belief comes automatically when you can't afford to have the luxury of a bloated support staff.

Even in a format that reduces relative superiority due to its crunched length, the second qualifier looks like a no-contest. But this is a knockout bout. Players and sides do strange things under pressure, especially in T20. They do stranger things in a T20 knockout situation. Ask Mumbai Indians. It's a phenomenon that keeps getting stranger and stranger with every passing season: they are yet to win an IPL title in five previous attempts. Their embarrassment of riches somehow turns into a proper embarrassment come knockout time. The latest instance was the first qualifier against Super Kings two days ago.

Dravid was right when he said after winning the eliminator that the pressure was on Mumbai Indians. Royals have made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. They had little to lose against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and they will have less to lose against Mumbai Indians, a side that will feel it has not done well if it does not win the title, according to Dravid. Not only was that a smart way of reminding the opposition of the cross of expectation they bear, it was also the bitter truth.

Still, if Mumbai Indians had been asked to pick an opponent in a knockout situation, they would probably have chosen Royals, and would probably hope they could play the match as if it was a regular league game.

PunterPolls Predictions

Mumbai Indians, famous for crashing at big stages has to face gutsy Royals. Royals after been hammered by last week incidents is back strongly against the Sunrisers in the last match. Brad Hodge who has got quite a few opportunities in this tournament had proved himself in most of the times is danger man for Mumbai Indians here at Kolkata's Eden Garden.

That's for sure, that the pitch is slow and does support spinners and the team with good spinners does have better chances to win the game. But then, the team batsmen has to put enough run on the board. Rahul Dravid very well knows that MI does get under pressure while chasing and no-doubt would like to bat first after winning the toss. Whereas, Rohit Sharma must be in difficult position if will the toss. As they have two very good spinners and he knows his strength.

So, the toss does play an important role in this game, especially for Royals and our expert believe chasing 145+ is going to be difficult for Royals to chase. To keep in mind the strength of both  the teams, they have decided to go with Mumbai Indians.

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IPL 2013: Qualifier 2 - Royals v Mum Indians, 24 May

  • Mumbai Indians (61% Votes)
  • Rajasthan Royals (39% Votes)

PunterPolls Prediction – Eliminator: Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad at Delhi, 22 May

Evenly matched teams in a battle of wits | PunterPolls Prediction

The first eliminator of IPL 2013 features two unlikely, yet similar competitors, in Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The thread of similarity extends beyond the 'underdog' status.

They've had similar journeys to the playoffs. Both sides have been strong at home, with Royals finishing unbeaten and Sunrisers losing just one game, to Chennai Super Kings. Their record away from home this season has also been identical - with only two away wins in eight games.

Heading into the first eliminator of the IPL, that's where the similarities between the two teams end. Royals sealed their spot in the last four in great style, with a shock win against Chennai Super Kings. The losses in their next two matches, however, meant that they were deprived of a top-two finish and another shot at qualifying for the final. Heavy losses in their last two games and the cloud of the spot-fixing scandal wouldn't have done their confidence any good, but they are a determined side that have converted a good start to the tournament into a top-three finish.

Sunrisers, on the other hand, are riding a wave of confidence, with two wins in their last two games. They've played a largely unchanged side throughout the tournament but more importantly, have responded well to pressure, especially in the final game against Kolkata Knight Riders, where Darren Sammy guided the side home after the side had come very close to imploding.

The two teams match up evenly on the field. Sunrisers have a much better bowling attack compared to Royals, who have relied on purple cap-holder James Faulkner and Shane Watson. In terms of batting, however, Royals are clearly stronger. As Royals look to emerge winners in the first eliminator, Brad Hogg and Shaun Tait might get a look-in to strengthen the side's bowling with experience.

PunterPolls Predictions

Royals and Risers, two teams those have performed quite consistent and have qualify for the play-offs in similar fashion will take on each other. And from this point one has to go.

In the previous two encounters,  In Jaipur Risers lost after scoring 144 on boards but able to defend 136 at home. Things to be noticed in both games are, they were batting first and lost too many quick wickets at the very beginning of the game. They had lost almost half of their team by end of 10th over yet they able to put a fight able total on board. So if punters are thinking their batting is week, think again.

As far as Royals are concern, I am sure you won't be able to remember a match when they had played extremely bad except the last one against the  same team. But  that too understandable, they had got a big shocked after fixing scandal and that was natural.

Now both team playing at neutral venue with same two win in away games, this is going to be an exiting encounter. Both Royals and Risers have won their games against Delhi at the same venue. Royals had defended the target whereas Sunrises had chased a small target but not very convincingly.

So, to keep in mind the previous stats and ground records everyone have an opinion that team batting first have better chances to win this game. However, our experts are supporting Risers because of their Superb Bowling, descent batting and everyone performance as a team. Additional factor is, Royals mental block and eagerness to prove themselves. 

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IPL 2013: Eliminator - Royals v Risers, 22 May

  • Sunrisers Hyderabad (44% Votes)
  • Rajasthan Royals (56% Votes)

PunterPolls Prediction – Qualifier 1: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians at Delhi, 21 May

Big boys kick off big week | PunterPolls Prediction

After 72 league matches - mismatches, in some cases - we're into the final week of the IPL. The most important week. The week Chennai Super Kings have negotiated five times previously, with more success than failure; they're the only team to progress past the league stage in every edition of the IPL so far, losing once in the semis, finishing runners-up twice (including last year), and winning the title in 2010 and 2011. Of the 10 playoff matches they've contested, they've won seven. They will go into the first qualifier knowing just how to win these big games, and with the cushion of having a second chance at making the final should they need it - both huge pluses.

But, in Mumbai Indians, Super Kings face the only IPL line-up that is arguably even stronger than their own. While the two teams match-up on the batting front - both in terms of proven performers and power-hitting - Mumbai hold the clear edge in the bowling department. This season, especially, Mumbai's bowlers have been lethal as a unit (as opposed to Lasith Malinga being the single biggest threat), with Mitchell Johnson swinging it at pace, Harbhajan Singh striking consistently while being economical, and Pragyan Ojha and Dhawal Kulkarni providing reliable support. They've already demolished Super Kings' line-up once this season, rolling them for 79 - the tournament's lowest total - at the Wankhede.

Both teams are coming off losses after seemingly letting their guard down in inconsequential matches, but before being tripped up in Dharamsala Mumbai had five comfortable wins in a row. Super Kings, on the other hand, have an up-and-down record of late after posting an record-equalling seven consecutive IPL victories earlier in the tournament. That has prompted talk of them having peaked too early.

Both teams have injury concerns to key players: Albie Morkel and Sachin Tendulkar. If Morkel is fit, he is likely to slot in as one of three overseas seam-bowling allrounders for Super Kings. If Tendulkar is fit, Mumbai will have to take a tough call - his replacement, Aditya Tare, has made two handy contributions, scoring rapidly as opener for a team that has got off to slow starts more often than not. Ambati Rayudu, who has 196 runs in 16 matches at 17.81, could be the one to miss out.

PunterPolls Predictions

Two big giants will take on each other in the sixth edition of the IPL. If we have look at the history, CSK is used to playing and performing at the big stages like this. They have been qualified 4 times to the final and have won twice. Whereas, Mumbai Indians do have records to get cracked under pressure especially at the big stage. Now cricket experts have start believing that Mumbai Indians are just like South Africans who used to crashed in the knock-out rounds.

In this tournament, Chennai have won and Mumbai have lost with 9 wickets in their games against Delhi Daredevils in the league matches. But Mumbai Indians does have mentally advantage over CSK as they have won both home and away matches against them. Both teams does have an extra cushion that they still have chance to qualify after loosing today's game. And our expert believe, this extra cushion should work in favor for Mumbai Indians in a way that they will be having less pressure and they can perform better.

Our experts believe that toss is going to play an important role today and team batting first scoring 160+ will have better chances to win this game. However, if team batting first fails to score 160, should be an easy chase for any team as both teams does have good batting line-up. 

Rest will meet you during the match.

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IPL 2013: Qualifier 1 - CSK v Mum Indians, 21 May

  • Mumbai Indians (51% Votes)
  • Chennai Super Kings (49% Votes)

PunterPolls Prediction – Match 72: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders at Hyderabad, 19 May

Playoff spot within sight of Sunrisers | PunterPolls Prediction

At the start of the IPL season, few would have tipped Sunrisers Hyderabad to be one of the four teams that qualify for the playoffs. Now, however, their prospects in their first season have boiled down to one simple task in the very last league game, against Kolkata Knight Riders: a win. Royal Challengers Bangalore, who beat Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, have drawn level with Sunrisers on 18 points, making this a must win-match for Sunrisers.

Sunrisers stand out when compared to the other teams that have already entered the playoffs or are competing to get there. Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and even Royal Challengers Bangalore have strong batting units while Rajasthan Royals are a team that is greater than the sum of its parts. Sunrisers, however, find themselves on the brink of qualification simply on the strength of their bowling. That strength was on display again when they defended 136 against Rajasthan Royals; Dale Steyn, Amit Mishra and Thisara Perera kept a vice-like grip on the run-rate. More importantly, for most of the season when the bowlers have not been defending small totals, they've restricted the opposition to scores that their batting has managed to chase down.

 

For Knight Riders, this game is about redeeming as much of their poor season as they can, while doing Royal Challengers a favour. And, as Royal Challengers captain Virat Kohli cheekily put it at the post-match presentation, he'd be happy to give Gautam Gambhir a call to request him to win the match.

PunterPolls Predictions

What a finish of league matches of IPL 2013 season. Must win for Sunrisers if they want to qualify for the play-offs, which means RCB will be out. They have done the same with RCB in last season by defeating  them and CSK at the end qualified for the play-offs. Its really been shameful for Challengers not to qualify after having blistering start in the tournament.

As far as both teams batting is concern, KKR is struggling a lot and Sunrisers are getting stable with each match. Bowling, everyone knows Sunrisers bowling is superb. This is the only sides which have registered most of the wins because of their admirable bowling.

Our experts are supporting Risers in this game and expecting big knock from Dhawan and T.Parera.

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Match 72: Risers v KKR, 19 May

  • Kolkata Knight Riders (41% Votes)
  • Sunrisers Hyderabad (60% Votes)