DUBAI/ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif, held in Dubai on drug possession charges on his way home after playing in the Indian Premier League, will get to know whether he can leave for Pakistan only after the results of the laboratory tests on the substance found on him come in.

“We are awaiting the results of the laboratory tests on the substance found on him,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ahsan Ullah Khan said.
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Rajasthan are in the finals defeating Delhi Daredevils by huge 105 runs.
Smith and Asnodkar got them off to a cracking start and then Watson and Yusuf provided the big hits towards the middle and the end of the innings. Delhi’s chase hinged on Sehwag and Gambhir but Watson’s opening spell, during which he picked up Delhi’s top three, finished the game as a contest. Warne was a treat to watch, he was turning the ball square and the batsmen had no clue how to counter him.
This was Shane Watson’s match. Imposing himself on the first semi-final, he boosted Rajasthan Royals with an electric fifty before rattling Delhi Daredevils’s top order with an outstanding opening spell. Shane Warne had complained about being deprived of home advantage but his side adjusted perfectly to the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium, putting on the show that illustrated exactly why they have been the stand-out team in the competition.

Delhi were like a side struck with stage fright. Their bowlers were rattled by a brand of unconventional strokeplay - even the peerless Glenn McGrath went wicketless for 38 runs - before their batsmen succumbed against a disciplined attack. Virender Sehwag decision to field may come under scrutiny but Rajasthan’s ruthless efficiency might have steered them to the final either way.

Virender Sehwag finds himself in a spot of bother ahead of Delhi’s IPL semi-final against Jaipur with the Board of Control for Cricket in India rapping him on the knuckles for comments he made at a press conference soon after Delhi had qualified for the semi-finals.

Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, sent Sehwag an official communication where he made it clear the board was not impressed with Sehwag. “Dear Viru, I wish to draw your attention to your interview in print media advising on selection matters,” Shah began his letter. “You are aware that as a contracted player, you are nor supposed to talk on policy matters of the Board, particularly on selection of the team where you are one of the players eligible for selection.”
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CHENNAI: History is balanced, with both sides reigning at home. But the past will only cease to be past when the two sides vie for final at the Wankhede.

As it had been the theme of this campaign, whichever side performs well on its day will have the final say. Here is a quick overview.

Crucial contests

Delhi openers Vs Sohail Tanvir: It would be an arduous task for the Rajasthan bowlers if either Virender Sehwag or Gautam Gambir gets going.
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A high-octane contest between two well-balanced sides is on the anvil when table toppers Rajasthan Royals take on the confident Delhi Daredevils in the first semi-finals of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai on Friday.

The two teams, which finished first and fourth in the preliminary 56-game phase of the Twenty20 league, look evenly matched ahead of what promises to be a top-drawer stuff in front of a capacity crowd at the Wankhede Stadium.
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NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi would prefer hosting the Twenty20 entertainment twice a year. But Delhi Daredevils skipper Virender Sehwag has a word of caution.

“If we have it twice a year, it would lead to some early retirements and that would not be good for the game overall,” said Sehwag during an interaction with the media here on Tuesday.

Modi had recently remarked that the first three edition of the IPL would be an annual affair but wanted it to be held twice a year, in May and September.
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Glen “Pigeon” McGrath is content with his current IPL stint and doesn’t plan to revert to the longer form of the game. He has looked the part in the IPL despite having hung his boots at the end of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup and has taken to T20 like a fish takes to water. Pigeon’s consistent bowling performance for the Delhi Daredevils lead to an English county offer.

Surrey had approached McGrath and offered him a contract, which is rumored to have involved a fairly good amount of money. But McGrath has turned down the offer citing his retirement from all forms of cricket – except the lucrative IPL – and family commitments. He intends to devote as much time to his family as he can.

In fact McGrath is quite a family man and a doting husband, too, as he took good care of his life partner while she was battling with cancer. County cricket has lost its sheen and allure as international cricketers have to commit for longer periods compared to the better paying and terser IPL. Not a tough decision, isn’t it?

Amit Mishra is the man of the moment for Delhi. He had 15 runs to defend in the final over and he responded with a hat-trick. Mishra finished with 5 for 17, fantastic performance under pressure. He even took the crucial wickets at the top of the order - dismissing Afridi and Gibbs.

Gambhir and Dhawan set up Delhi’s total with half-centuries but Deccan were on course during their run-chase when Afridi and Gibbs were going berserk. Then they lost a few wickets but got back on track when Sharma played a fabulous innings. They once again looked out of the contest when Sharma got out and Styris struggled to build momentum but Rao’s cameo brought them within striking distance. McGrath returned to dismiss Rao in the penultimate over and that was the blow that knocked Deccan out.

The Man of the Match is Amit Mishra for two crucial wickets in his first spell and his last-over hat-trick to win the game for Delhi. He finished with figures of 5 for 17. Delhi have broken their four-match losing streak with a close win. Deccan are virtually out of the semi-finals. It will need a mathematical miracle for them to make it now.

Teams: Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers
Preview:
This will be a clash between two teams, both struggling with their form. While the Deccan Chargers are languishing at seventh spot with just two wins in nine matches, the Delhi Daredevils lost their last four matches. Delhi are still very much in the run for a semi-final spot while the Chargers captain Adam Gilchrist himself admitted that his side is out of the running in their quest for a Top 4 place.

Star Watch: Keep an eye on Herschelle Gibbs, who has had a quiet tournament so far. He is ideal for this form of cricket, and as Sanath Jayasuriya showed yesterday, one can never really write off a class player.
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GMR Sports, owner of the Delhi Daredevils team in the DLF Indian Premier League, hopes to break even in three years, on the back of special merchandise planning and online advertising space selling.

GMR spent Rs 330 crore to own the Daredevils.

According to B Vanchi, advisor on corporate strategy, GMR Group, “This is the first IPL year and most of us have hurried things. From next year GMR will plan special merchandise packaging and other revenue generating options.”

He added, “As of now, the merchandise sold through 42 Adidas outlets in Delhi, include Daredevils jerseys, t-shirts, caps, sneakers, among others. There is a huge demand for the jerseys and stocks are always running out”.
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