Delhi Daredevils will play Highveld Lions in the first semifinals of the ongoing Champions League Twenty20. The second semifinals will see Sydney Sixers fight it out with Titans on Friday at Centurion.
Delhi Daredevils have not lost a single match in this tournament with two of their matches getting rained-off. Lions on the other hand, won three out of their four matches. They defeated Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Yorkshire and lost their match against Group B toppers, Sydney Sixers.
Both teams have some very good players in their ranks; let’s have a look at some of them:
Delhi Daredevils:
Virender Sehwag: Sehwag has been going through a rough patch but made a match winning fifty in the match against the Scorchers. Sehwag is a big match player and Delhi will be well on their way to the finals if he gets going. He is a dangerous player and there is no doubt in that.
Ross Taylor: The New Zealand skipper had a really good T20 World Cup but he hasn’t done much in this tournament. Taylor will be eager to justify the faith that the captain has shown in him. Only four foreign players can play at once and that puts extra pressure on Taylor. He can be deadly if he explodes.
Morne Morkel: He has been great for Delhi in the recent past. He hardly goes for any runs and has a habit of picking important wickets. Morkel can run through a side if he gets his line and length going. The Durban pitch always offer something to the fast bowlers and Morkel can be deadly here.
Ajit Agarkar: He was the hero for Delhi Daredevils against Perth Scorchers both with the ball and with the bat. He was the most economical bowler of the match and picked up two of the most important wickets. With the bat, he made a crucial contribution and took Delhi past the finish line.
Lions:
Neil McKenzie: He is the most experienced batsmen in the Lions side and he has taken the responsibility in the tournament. He is the backbone of Lion’s batting lineup and plays a very important role in the middle overs. He can be brilliant in chasing a target.
Alviro Petersen: The captain has not performed up to the expectations and he will be itching to make a solid contribution in this match. He is a class player and has a good technique, Petersen would have faced Morne Morkel a lot of time in the nets and he will have to make sure that Morkel doesn’t make early inroads in the Lions batting order.
Aaron Phangiso: He has been the best spinner of the tournament and has troubled some world class batsmen. He was fantastic against Mumbai Indians and CSK and will be hoping to do the same to the Daredevils. He bowls at a perfect pace and looks to pick wickets.
Chris Morris: Morris has been really impressive in this tournament and it is the aggression that he brings to the table that is making the difference. Both Tanvir and Nannes have been inconsistent in the tournament and that makes Morris’ role more important.
By Indian Sports News Network