Grand IPL Finale! The wheel of IPL fortune has come a full circle for Bangalore RC and Deccan Chargers! Last year’s tail enders are the toast of the IPL2009. The teams that finished 7th and 8th last year have shown that reputations and firm favourites have no place in this unforgiving format that is twenty20 cricket. As Delhi and Chennai found out, were simply not good enough on the day.

Deccan Chargers began their campaign, like a house on fire, sweeping all before them in the initial stages,and despite some lean period towards the end, managed to sweep Delhi Daredevils, with ease, to reach the final.

Bangalore, on the other hand, did't have a great start. A first-match rout by Rajasthan Royals, the defending champions. By the time Pietersen left to fulfil ENG duties, the Challengers had two wins from six matches, and stared at early elimination.

In came the 'great' genious!By luck or faith! Anil Kumble was handed the captaincy, and how fortunes have changed since! Pieterson’s timely departure has been a blessing for Bangalore.

The leg-spinner, as a captain and lead performer, has led from the front, directing his team into delivering one stand-out performance after another. Bangalore stormed into the final by eliminating Chennai with ease, with five wins on the trot now.

Deccan have established stars in Gilchrist, Gibbs, Symonds and RP Singh(owner of purple cap), as well as exceptional young talent in Rohit Sharma, who has just been named under-23 cricket player of IPL09.

Bangalore likewise, have relied on Kumble, Kallis, Dravid , Boucher, and Manish Pandey, who has been a revelation. A relative unknown until three days ago! A great discovery of young Indian talent!.


Match
Wanderers Stadium,Johannesburgh, SA
Time:15.00(uk) Sun 24/05/2009 on Satanta ch423/424

Deccan Chargers(probable): 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt./wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 T Suman, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Andrew Symonds, 6 Azhar Bilakhia/D Ravi Teja, 7 Venugopal Rao, 8 Harmeet Singh, 9 Pragyan Ojha, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 RP Singh.

Bangalore: (probable) 1 Manish Pandey, 2 Jacques Kallis, 3 Roelof van der Merwe, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Virat Kohli, 7 Robin Uthappa, 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 R Vinay Kumar, 11 Anil Kumble (capt.).







Gilchrist likes to chase the runs on board and so do Kumble! A lot will also depend on who wins the toss!
DC will have to tread carefully here, taking on RCB and Kumble. He is a clever cookie, with an engineering brain!(has a degree with distinction!).He is definitly no Sehwag!


The big question today is…WHO DO YOU THINK, WILL LIFT THE 2009 IPL TROPHY!
GILCHRIST OR KUMBLE!..........................HAVE FUN! ENJOY!