Following are the statistical highlights of the Indian Premier League`s semi-final match between Delhi Daredevils and Deccan Chargers here.

• Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist (85 off 35 balls) registered the fastest IPL fifty. With his 17-ball half-century, Gilchrist surpassed the 21-ball 50s registered by Yusuf Pathan (2008) and Brendon McCullum (2009).
• Gilchrist`s 17-ball half-century is the fifth fastest in Twenty20.
• Gilchrist is the first player to make 900 runs in the IPL, aggregating 931 in 29 innings at an average of 33.25, including one hundred and six fifties.
• Gilchrist received his fourth Man of the Match award in the IPL. 
• Delhi Daredevils opener Gautam Gambhir posted his second IPL duck in the match. For David Warner, it was his first in the IPL.
• The duo`s dismissal for ducks was the fifth instance of both the openers getting out without scoring in the IPL.
• Abraham de Villiers was the leading run-getter for Delhi in the IPL 2009 — 465 at an average of 51.66 in 15 matches.
• Herschelle Gibbs became the first batsman to register four ducks in the IPL 2009.
• For Delhi, Nehra is the leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets.
• Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored for Delhi with a 65 off 51 balls. The Sri Lankan had top-scored for the team in the last year`s semi-final against Rajasthan Royals as well with 33 in a total of 87.
• Delhi Daredevils have lost two successive semi-finals – both by huge margins – by 105 runs to Rajasthan Royals last year and by six wickets to Deccan Chargers in the IPL 2009.
• Delhi Daredevils have won 10 and lost five out of 15 they played in the second edition of the IPL.
• Dilshan (65 off 51 balls) recorded his fourth IPL fifty. The innings is his second best in the IPL – his highest being an unbeaten 67 off 47 balls against Bangalore at Port Elizabeth.
• Dilshan completed his 400 runs in the IPL 2009, aggregating 418 (ave.41.80) in 14 games.
• Ryan Harris, with two wickets – Gautam Gambhir and David Warner – in his first over, produced his best IPL performance (3/27), eclipsing the 2 for 20 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Johannesburg on May 16, 2009.
• Virender Sehwag, in the course of his 39 off 31 balls, Sehwag has completed his 600 runs in the IPL, aggregating 604 at an average of 27.45, including four fifties in 25 matches.
• Deccan Chargers, with their six-wicket triumph, have posted their first victory in five games against Delhi Daredevils.
• Deccan Chargers have now won eight and lost seven out of 15 played in the second edition of the IPL.

Tags: Ab De Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Deccan vs Delhi highlights, Hyderabad Vs Delhi

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Its Semi-Final time and Delhi play Deccan Chargers in the first semi-final in Centurion this evening, while Chennai will take on Bangalore Royal Challengers in the second semi-final on Saturday night.

Delhi’s opening duo hasn’t been at its best, but that hasn’t stopped them from looking a formidable unit right through the tournament. If the star of the middle-order has been AB de Villiers, there have been two silent performers in the team who have always chipped in with useful performances at the right time to take Delhi out of trouble.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Karthik are not the biggest stars of the Delhi team; they are not used to too much stardom at the national level either. While Karthik is still coming to terms with the fact that he is not in the T20 World Cup team, Dilshan is finally relishing the opportunity to bat up the order, which he doesn’t always get while playing for Sri Lanka.

In a tournament of many ups and downs, Delhi have looked the safest bet by a long stretch, but there’s a thin line between confidence and complacency that they will need to be wary of. Sachin Tendulkar agreed that the Daredevils had looked the most impressive in the tournament, but felt the best team on the day would win. “Delhi has looked the best side, without doubt. But in this format, it’s a case of having one bad day and the pressure is on you. Instead of hitting sixes, the ball might be caught at long-off. But the good thing for Delhi is that they have done well, and done well consistently,” he said.

Tags: Ab De Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, Centurion Park, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2, Semi-finals, Virender Sehwag

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Delhi daredevils all rounder Rajat Bhatia is on a high after his match-winning spell against Deccan Chargers, which worked wonders for him last night, was his ability to bowl good yorkers and slower ones.

Terming Wednesday night’s spell of 4/15 as the second best day of his cricketing career, the 29-year-old said he enjoyed the confidence of skipper Virender Sehwag and knew he could turn the match with just one good over.

“I had full confidence in the captain, that he thought that I was capable of bowling in this situation was a bonus. I know that in a Twenty20 game one over can change the match. I was confident that I can do it for my team,” Bhatia said.

“I could not get runs but I bowled well. It was just another day for me where I wanted to bowl good yorkers and slower ones and it worked. At this level we have to learn to turn things around at such stages,” he was quoted as saying in the IPL’s official website.

With Deccan needing 25 runs off the last three overs with six wickets in hand, Bhatia picked up Andrew Symonds and then Dwayne Smith in one over to turn the match in Delhi’s favour.

He later took two more wickets of Pragyan Ojha and Shoaib Maqsusi to end up with superb figures of 4 for 15 in 2.4 overs

Tags: Andrew Symonds, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Dwayne Smith, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad Vs Delhi, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, Pragyan Ojha, Rajat Bhatia, Virender Sehwag

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IPL season II table toppers Delhi Daredevils will clash with the 3rd placed Deccan Chargers at Durban on Wednesday.

With both teams looking set for a place in the semi-finals, Deccan will be hoping to put one over a side they have never beaten in three attempts, knowing that a win will almost guarantee them that semi-final spot one wouldn’t have believed possible after their 12 loss riddled inaugural season.

The Daredevils have played the lowest number of matches in the season till date, just 9, and yet lead the points table quite comfortably with 14 points. They will however be a little concerned with fixture congestion come the fag end of the tournament, knowing that they will need to play 7 games over the next 12 days should they reach the IPL final.

They will be buoyed further with the return of skipper Virender Sehwag who missed four games due to a hand injury he sustained while dropping a hot chance the last time these two teams met. Stand-in skipper Gautam Gambhir showed that he was a more than capable replacement picking up 3 wins in those four matches.

The selection headache that Sehwag’s return presents, is whether they should stick with the existing winning combination keeping Australian youngster David Warner in the side and get him to open with Sehwag and bring Gambhir in at no. 3, or should they return to their original eleven which was giving their bowling more balance, playing Daniel Vettori as the fourth international player, and using the Indian pair at the top of the order. Bet the rest of the league is wishing they had similar problems!

Deccan will be aware that whatever the result of their game on Wednesday, they should still make the final four with their last three games against teams currently situated at 6th, 7th and 8th place in the IPL table.

With the pressure seemingly off both teams, we should see some free-flowing stroke play, and one hopes they can replicate their awesome encounter from last season where nearly 400 runs were scored. Delhi made 194 in their 20 overs, and Deccan fell just 12 runs short thanks to a five wicket haul from leg-spinner Amit Mishra who ripped through the middle order to take his side to victory.

Tags: Adam Gilchrist, Amit Mishra, David Warner, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Gautam Gambir, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad Vs Delhi, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, Virender Sehwag

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A half-century by Tillakeratne Dilshan steered the Delhi Daredevils to a six-wicket win over Deccan Chargers at Centurion as they joined them at the top of the Indian Premier League on Thursday.

The previously unbeaten Chargers scored a modest 148 for nine in their 20 overs and Sri Lankan Dilshan, who scored 52 not out off 46 balls, and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who made 41 off 30 balls, laid a solid platform for the run-chase.

Their fourth-wicket stand of 79 came from 66 deliveries.

Dilshan hooked West Indian fast bowler Fidel Edwards for six as the Daredevils won with eight balls to spare.

Earlier, Australian Dirk Nannes had hurled down his left-arm fast deliveries to great effect, undermining the Chargers innings from the outset. The 32-year-old dismissed openers Adam Gilchrist (8) and Herschelle Gibbs (0) in his first two overs to deal the Chargers a severe blow.

The Hyderabad side stuttered to 55 for four at the halfway stage, before West Indian Dwayne Smith provided some momentum with a powerful innings of 48 off 28 balls.

But Indian left-armer Ashish Nehra claimed two wickets in the closing overs, and there were two run outs, as the Chargers innings fell away.

Nannes picked up two for 16 in his four overs and was named man-of-the-match.

In the second match of the double-header, the Chennai Super Kings beat champions, the Rajasthan Royals, by 38 runs.

Left-hander Suresh Raina ripped into the Rajasthan bowling in a top-class innings of 98 off 56 balls that carried Chennai to an imposing 164 for five.

Off-spinner Yusuf Pathan struck a quick blow when he bowled Super Kings opener Matthew Hayden for a single with his first delivery and finished with impressive figures of two for 17 in three overs. Munaf Patel took two for 25 and leg-spinner Shane Warne one for 24, but the rest of the Rajasthan bowling was unimpressive.

South African all-rounder Albie Morkel took the new ball for Chennai and claimed two for 16 in his first three overs to immediately restrict the Royals.

Ravindra Jadeja (37) and Pathan (20) took the innings forward with their busy innings, but Lakshmipathy Balaji had the dangerous Pathan caught at long-off to reduce the Royals to 86 for four after 13 overs.

Seamer Balaji then wrapped up the tail to finish with 4-21, the Royals being bowled out in the final over for 126 as Kamran Khan did not come out to bat due to an ankle injury.

The victory moved Chennai into fifth position, three points behind Delhi and the Chargers, while the defending champions slipped to sixth place.

Tags: Adam Gilchrist, Albie Morkel, Ashish Nehra, Badrinath, Bangalore Royal Challengers, Chennai Super Kings Vs Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Dinesh Karthick, Dirk Nannes, Dwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Hershchelle Gibbs, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL South Africa, IPL Updates, Jacob Oram, L Balaji, Mathew Hayden, Munaf Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Shane Warne, Suresh Raina, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Yusuf Pathan

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Hyderabad Deccan Chargers were struggling at 55/4 in 10 overs against Delhi Daredevils in the 21st match of the second edition of the Indian Premier League at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

Put in to bat by Virender Sehwag, Deccan Chargers got off to a poor start as they lost captain Adam Gilchrist in the first over by Dirk Nannes. Gilchrist, who hit two fours in his 8-run knock, was late in the short delivery and edged high up in the air for Dinesh Karthik to take the catch.

Nannes struck again in his next over when he had Herschelle Gibbs (0) caught at mid-off by AB de Villiers.

Rohit Sharma and Azhar Bilakhia added 33 runs for the third wicket before Rohit (17) hit a straighter delivery by Amit Mishra over the covers for Mithun Manhas to take the catch.

In the next over, Bilakhia (22) was trapped plumb in front of the wicket by a straighter delivery from Daniel Vettori.

Tags: Ab De Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, Amit Mishra, Daniel Vettori, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi Daredevils, Dinesh Karthick, Gautam Gambir, Hershchelle Gibbs, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, IPL 2, IPL 2009, IPL 2009 News, IPL Scores, IPL Updates, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag

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Delhi Daredevils will be looking to stop Deccan Chargers’ four-match winning streak and snatch the top spot when they face each other in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Centurion Park here on Thursday.

After suffering their first IPL defeat against Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils will be looking to bounce back against leading Deccan Chargers.

Delhi Daredevils, after Tuesday’s loss, are second in the league behind Deccan Chargers.

When both teams face each other at the Centurion Park, Deccan Chargers will be looking to retain their top spot while Daredevils will be trying to snatch the leader’s crown.

Daredevils are one of the most balanced team in the IPL and it was only against the Rajasthan Royals that they faltered suffering their only loss in the league so far.

The loss is likely to act as a catalyst for Daredevils to bounce back. Their batting has been the major strength and it will depend on skipper Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to get a good start.

In the middle-order, AB de Villiers and Tillakaratne Dilshan have been in fine form and will be looking to continue their stroke-play against the Deccan Chargers bowling attack.

Delhi Daredevils also have a good bowling attack and fast bowler Ashish Nehra and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori have been in good from.

But against the formidable Deccan Chargers, Daredevils bowlers can’t relax.

Deccan Chargers’ opening batsmen skipper Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs have torn apart all the bowling attacks in the IPL. Rohit Sharma, VVS Laxman and Dwayne Smith have given a depth to their batting while the bowlers have been in terrific form.

Fidel Edwards and R P Singh have made Deccan Chargers bowling the most potent attack in the IPL. Adding to their strength is left-arm spinners Pragyan Ojha who has been daring enough to toss the ball and the batmen have fallen to his trap.

With two top teams facing each other, Centurion Park is set for an exciting clash.

Tags: Ab De Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, Centurion Park, Daniel Vettori, Daredevils, Deccan Chargers Vs Delhi Daredevils, Delhi Daredevils, Dwayne Smith, Gautam Gambir, Hershchelle Gibbs, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman

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