Deccan Chargers will meet Delhi Daredevils in the first semi-final on Friday at the Centurion while Chennai Super Kings will play Bangalore in the second semi-final at Johannesburg on Saturday. Bangalore beat the Chargers by 12 runs in the last league match to take their tally to 16 points and end third on the table. Chargers and Kings XI finished with 14 points each but Chargers advanced on superior net run rate.
The stage was set for Chargers to sharpen their batting skills. The interest revolved more around Bangalore. They had to ensure Chargers do not reach the target in less than 11.2 overs. Even with a power packed top-order that looked a tough draw. For once Adam Gilchrist took back seat as Herschelle Gibbs took the opportunity to silence his critics. Anil Kumble opening the attack to Gilchrist paved way for a high quality contest. Two of the most committed cricketers of this generation against each other. Kumble won round one with an economical over but there was Gibbs to contend with.
A clean pick over square leg and an arrogant pull off Praveen Kumar set the Gibbs machine rolling. Two more sixes off van der Merwe took Gibbs to a 50 off 32 balls. Gibbs enjoyed a reprieve when Robin Uthappa dropped him on 48 but it did not prove costly. The fall of Gibbs and Symonds helped Bangalore tighten the screws. The last three overs required 40 and even the spark of Rohit was not enough.
Earlier with too many mathematical probabilities to comprehend with, planning an innings was not the easiest task for Bangalore. They took the tried and trusted route of slamming the ball around the park to put steer clear of Kings XI. In broad shouldered Manish Pandey, Bangalore found a man for the hour as he struck a stroke filled hundred, the first by an Indian in the IPL. Batting with a strong bottom hand and riding a wave of luck, Manish swung through the line without any second thoughts and laid the bowlers low.
The timing was sweet and there was not a single occasion where Manish held his shot back. It was well what the doctor ordered. The plan was perfect keeping the situation in mind. The job for Manish was made tough with an early wicket falling. Following a tight over from Ryan Harris, R.P. Singh struck in the second over when he curled one into the pads of Jacques Kallis who flicked it straight to square leg.
Bangalore enjoyed a reprieve when R.P. Singh missed a sitter offered by van der Merwe at third man. The lapse hurt Chargers badly as the right-hander picked 18 runs off the next six deliveries. It was also the stage where Manish grew in confidence. Picking the length effortlessly he favoured the area over mid-wicket and square point. Manish was guilty of slowing down a bit when he was within touching distance of a century. But that was understandable from a youngster who went through a horrendous run with the Mumbai Indians last year.
Chargers, courtesy two well directed overs from Symonds kept the score down to 64 in the first half. But there was no answer to the onslaught from Manish after the break. Pragyan Ojha struck twice to peg Bangalore back a bit but Manish and Uthappa did enough damage in the last over from R.P. Singh to take the score to 170.