IPL5 – Deccan Chargers vs Pune Warriors - Match Preview
Deccan Chargers will take on Pune Warriors today, in the 42nd fixture of the fifth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
This is an extremely crucial encounter for both the teams as they are struggling to get going in the tournament. Deccan has only three points after eight matches and is at the bottom of the table. Pune, on the other hand, started the tournament in a nice
fashion but has lost its way recently. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sourav-Chandidas-Ganguly-c90746 and company are at number seven on the table with only eight points after nine fixtures.
If these teams want to make it to the play-off stage of the tournament, they will have to win most of their matches from now onwards and every single fixture is important for them.
Deccan had a terrible loss on Sunday against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Indians, as the whole team was dismissed for only 100 runs and failed to bat out the 20 overs. However, the Chargers will have to lift themselves on Tuesday to dismantle the Warriors.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DW-Steyn-c1409 made it clear that his captain decided to drop himself just to create the right balance in the playing eleven.
“We thought this was a wicket, which was probably going to seam around a little bit, and it was Sanga’s decision to keep himself out. He felt that we should play an extra international seamer. That was a captain’s decision and we respect that; and it almost
worked tonight,” said Steyn.
The spearhead of the Chargers is still optimistic about his team’s chances in the tournament and feels that there is nothing to panic about. Steyn is satisfied with his team’s showings in the event but feels that luck has not favoured them in the current
season.
The fast bowler added, “I don’t think we need to change. We just have to be 10 percent better at everything; that includes our batting, bowling and fielding. Otherwise, I think we are playing unbelievably well. The results might not say that, but we have
just not been lucky enough every time we have lost.”
It will be interesting to see if Sangakkara plays the all-important game against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warriors-c861 but one thing is for sure that his team needs some stability at the top of the batting order, which the left-hander can easily provide.
On the other side of the coin, Ganguly and company also need to raise their game. Australia’s captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marlon-Nathaniel-Samuels-c74804, who has been off-colour in the tournament so far.
The likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Nehra-c873 have
been brilliant at times but on other days, they have leaked too many runs. Pune will have to gel well as a unit once again in order to enhance its chances of making it to the last four.
On the current form, Pune will start the match as favourites but one can expect Deccan to come out all guns blazing.
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