Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders - 1st Qualifier of IPL 2012

DD vs KKR Live Streaming

Update: Kolkata beats Delhi and reaches IPL 2012 finals.

IPL 2012 finally has its four top teams to feature in the play-offs. The format doesn't consist of semifinals but play-offs which is fair for top two teams and more interesting ofcourse. Top two teams viz. Delhi and Kolkata plays in the 1st Qualifier at Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune. The winner of this match will directly qualify for the finals to be played at Chennai. The team that would lose this qualifier would play the winner of eliminator match (Mumbai vs Chennai). That would be the second qualifier and the winner will qualify for the finals.

Delhi has topped the table and has easily been the most dominating team of IPL 2012. Kolkata Knight Riders were separated just by one point as one of the matches of KKR was washed out due to rain. Although these two teams have registered comprehensive wins throughout but few losses in the final phase of IPL has been an eye opener for them. 

Twenty20 being a format of cricket which consists only 20 overs, the opening stand plays a vital role. We have some explosive openers in both the teams - Sehwag and Warner for Delhi - Gambhir and McCullum for Kolkata. Virender Sehwag scored five consecutive half centuries and Pieterson played a very important role in Delhi's wins before he left for England vs West Indies test series. Warner played an explosive innings in the league matches where he scored a quickfire ton. McCullum couldn't manage a big score for Kolkata so far but we all know his explosive batting. Gambhir has scored the majority of runs for Kolkata Knight Riders.

This match would also display a tight competition between two bowling sides. Especially a performance clash between KKR's Narine and DD's Morkel. These bowlers have caused lot of trouble to the opposition team and have clinched a lot of wickets. Meanwhile there are other good players in both the teams to watch out viz. Jayawardene, Taylor, Brett Lee, Kallis, etc.

Statistically both these teams have done a good job in their own ways. Delhi Daredevils have lost only 76 wickets in their 15 league matches of IPL 2012. They have scored at a rate of 8.3 runs per over. Meanwhile KKR has been the most economical bowling unit in IPL 2012. 

Pune's wicket may not produce a very high scoring game but certainly it will provide a good tussle between bat and the ball. Let us see which of these heavyweights to clinch a win and register a place in the IPL 2012 finals.

Set Max Live Streaming of IPL 2013 is round the corner!

Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Clash of top two teams

IPL Live Streaming Cricket

Whatever we observed yesterday in IPL was phenomenal! Smith scored 18 runs off last three balls to give Mumbai Indians a thrilling win against Chennai Super Kings and AB de Villiers played one of the best innings ever seen in IPL to give Royal Challengers Bangalore a thumping win against Deccan Chargers. Yesterday was easily one of the best days observed in IPL history, thanks to some good cricket played by all four teams.

IPL doesn't stop treating us from good cricket. Today we can enjoy two top teams' face off at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi. Kolkata Knight Riders visit Delhi to take on Delhi Daredevils. Delhi tops the chart and dominates this year's IPL winning matches one after the other. Kolkata has followed suit and won most of their recent matches to be on the second position. So if we consider the points of these two teams, this match holds a lesser significance but certainly clash of top teams always provides quality cricket.

The biggest similarity between these two teams is the performance of their skippers. Sehwag for Delhi and Gambhir for Kolkata have led from front and are in phenomenal form. They have been consistent with bat in last four to five matches providing winning knocks to the team.

Kevin Pietersen was the biggest support for Sehwag and he will no longer be with Delhi this year because he has left for the England vs West Indies series. His position will be filled by another attacking batsman David Warner. He has served for Delhi last year also and was good with his performances. Hopefully he completely fills the absence of Pietersen who played a vital role in Delhi's wins so far. Other important players for Delhi this year have been Irfan Pathan, Morne Morkel, Mahela Jayawardene, Ashok Dinda and many more to name.

For Kolkata, the patchy form of Kallis and McCullum continues. Similarly Yusuf Pathan has been a disappointment this year. If these three can provide some good contributions, Gambhir's team would be unbeatable on any given day.

Who would be the biggest contributor today to take his team home? Will he be Sehwag or Gambhir again? or Taylor or probably Kallis? Let us sit back and enjoy another mouth watering contest from IPL 2012.