Once Chris Gayle had announced his arrival, this was the final looked most likely. Defending champions CSK started off their title defense like real champions as MV and Hussey absolutely murdered the RCB attack as CSK raced off to 94/0 after 10 with 58% COW. By the time Hussey fell for 63, CSK were in command at 161/1 after 15 with 64% COW. MV went on to score 95 and MSD chipped in with a violent 22 as it took a flurry of late wickets to keep CSK down to 205/5 with 65% COW. RCB’s all hopes rested on Gayle and they were snuffed out as Ashwin once again snared him for a duck. RCB kept losing wickets as their batsmen succumbed to the pressure of the high target in the final as barring Kohli and Tiwary there was nothing to talk about. RCB eventually crumbled to 147/8 to lose the final by a whopping 58 runs.

It was Chris Gayle story all over again as he pummeled the MI attack on his way to a blazing 89 and by the time MI got rid of him, RCB were cruising at 150/2 after 15 with 59% COW. However the support cast couldn’t keep up the momentum as RCB were restricted to 185/4 after 20 with 60% COW. MI crumbled in the face of the challenging target as barring 40 from Sachin not a single batsman crossed 20 as RCB spinners Vettori and Syed Mohammed snared 5 wickets for 44 runs between themselves to keep them down to 142/8 and win the match by 43 runs.

KKR and MI met to decide who faces RCB in the second qualifier for a spot in the final. Bhajji took out Gambhir and then MI pacers ran through KKR top order as they collapsed to 25/4 after 6 with 37% COW. RTD finally got a chance to show what he is capable of and his brilliant unbeaten 70 along with supporting innings from Pathan and Shakib helped KKR recover from a disaster to post 147/7 with 42% COW. Blizzard then did a Gayle with a swashbuckling fifty as MI raced away to 71/0 after 7 with 68% COW. 4 wickets in next 6 overs brought MI down to 104/4 after 13 with 69% COW but the low target meant they were always in control and despite it going down to the last over MI never looked like losing it as they reached home by 4 wickets with 4 balls left.

This had the big billing of a classic. The top two teams. Teams with great history. But like IPL4 it failed to live up to its billing. Batting first, CSK had a horror start as they top 4 were back in the hut with score at just 23/4 after 6 with 43% COW. The two keepers, Saha and MSD set about resurrecting the innings but without any risks as the RR suffered. Once Saha fell MSD opened up to blaze away to 70* but CSK ended with just 128/8 with 37% COW. Makeshift opener ABD fell in the very first over but RCB didn’t let CSK get a grip on the match as Gayle and Kohli batted sensibly to first take control of the match and then blazed away. By the time Kohli fell RCB were 80/2 after 10 with 81% COW. This slowed down Gayle as Tiwary struggled to score but Gayle still ended with 75* as RCB cruised home by 8 wickets with 2 overs to spare.

KKR started their innings just like they started their previous campaigns – disastrously. At 30/2after 4, with Goswami and Gambhir back in the dugout, KKR’s COW was 50%. Kallis set up the rescue act first with Tiwary and then with Pathan on his way to another IPL fifty. By the time Kallis fell KKR were 156/5 after 18 with 58% COW and eventually ended with 175/7, their COW up to 60%. When Suman fell early everyone was surprised to see Bhajji walk in. He couldn’t reprise the role of pinch hitter but he stuck around long enough to help Sachin lay a foundation as MI reached 70/1 after 8 with 45% COW. However with 3 wickets in next 5 overs the momentum swung back KKR’s way as MI collapsed to 97/4 after 13 with 32% COW. Franklin finally showed why he was in the squad with a blistering 45 and Pollard and Rayudu lived up to their billing as MI scored 23 runs off the last over to take their cow from 14% to 100% and win the match by 4 wickets.

This had the big billing of a classic. The top two teams. Teams with great history. But like IPL4 it failed to live up to its billing. Batting first, CSK had a horror start as they top 4 were back in the hut with score at just 23/4 after 6 with 43% COW. The two keepers, Saha and MSD set about resurrecting the innings but without any risks as the RR suffered. Once Saha fell MSD opened up to blaze away to 70* but CSK ended with just 128/8 with 37% COW. Makeshift opener ABD fell in the very first over but RCB didn’t let CSK get a grip on the match as Gayle and Kohli batted sensibly to first take control of the match and then blazed away. By the time Kohli fell RCB were 80/2 after 10 with 81% COW. This slowed down Gayle as Tiwary struggled to score but Gayle still ended with 75* as RCB cruised home by 8 wickets with 2 overs to spare.

It was a do or die match for KXIP who had to win it to be in with a chance of making it to the semis. But Dhawan and Teja killed their hopes as they smashed fifties to give DC a great start. By the time Teja was out DC was 134/1 after 14 with 60% COW. Dhawan went on to score 95* as DC registered 198/2 with 67% COW. KXIP needed to win this one convincingly to improve their NRR. The pressure meant that they never really got going as barring Gilly not one else even touched 15. Gilly’s rapid fifty was just a footnote as KXIP collapsed to 116 all out in 19 overs to lose by 82 runs.

Last time when MI and RR met in Rajasthan there was a lot of off the field drama. This time they restricted that to on field in Wankhede. Batting first MI lost Suman and Rayudu to be 17/2 after 4 with 48% COW. However with Sachin and Rohit at crease they didn’t have to worry much. Slowly but steadily they laid a platform for an assault but Sachin fell with MI at 66/3 after 12 with 43% COW. Sharmadidnt get the expected support from the rest as MI struggled to hit the big ones and ended with 133/5 with 42% COW. Watson and Dravid then gave MI a lesson in batting as they smashed their bowler all over the park in an unbroken 134 run partnership that helped RR win the match by 10 wickets with 6.5 overs remaining.

It was Dada vs his team. But really did anyone expect Ganguly to dictate the terms of this match? KXIP lost both openers early to reach 18/2 after 4 with 46% COW. Dada, Ferguson and Uthappa scratched around but none of them crossed 20 as PWI were in deep trouble at 79/5 after 14 with 42% COW. Yuvraj came in too late to make much of a difference and even he fell for 24 as KXIP could muster only 118/7 with 44% COW. Goswami was out early but GG found company in Tiwary and they took KKR to 60/2 after 8 with 65% COW. After that GG and Yusuf Pathan trundled towards the target as GG scored a fifty and Yusuf fell just before the end as KKR cruised home by 7 wickets with 20 balls remaining.

CSK lost Vijay early and when Raina and Badri too fell soon after they were in trouble at 61/3 after 9 with 45% COW. Hussey played an uncharacteristically scratchy innings but along with Saha was involved in a mini partnership but once he fell Saha got no support from the rest as despite his fighting 46* CSK ended with 152/5 with 47% COW. It was identical for KTK as they lost Patel early and Baz was as scratchy as Hussey in his partnership first with Gnaneswara and then with Hodge. Both Hodge and Baz struggled to score fast and when Baz got out KTK were 85/3 after 14 with 45% COW. RJ couldn’t repeat his heroics and Hodge just couldn’t up the tempo as KTK ended with 141/5 to lose by 11 runs.

With RCB in red hot form and KXIP struggling to stay out of the bottom half this match’s result seemed to be a foregone conclusion but COW predicted that KXIP had a chance of upset. Didn’t seem that way then Valthaty’s little cameo came to an end with KXIP at 25/1 after 4 with 46% COW. This united two Aussie southpaws with a generation gap between them and this day they decided to fill this gap with runs. From 41/1 after 7 with 44% COW to 232/2 after 20 with 69% COW. A blazing century for Gilly and a quickfire fifty from Mr. T-20-Consistent Marsh saw KXIP turn the match around. 233 was a huge task for RCB, with or without Gayle. It got tougher without Gayle when he fell for a duck and rest followed him as RCB collapsed under the pressure of the RRR to be all out for 121 in 17 overs,

After a decent start PWI had a sudden collapse as they crashed to 45/5 after 8 with 41% COW. Yuvran tried to fight back first in company of Callum and them with Marsh but once he fell the fight was out of his side. Marsh single handedly ensured they posted a respectable 136/9 with 40% COW. A good start by DC ended any hopes PWI had as they reached 67/0 after 8 with 73% COW. Despite 2 quick wickets, Sangakkara and JPD never let match out of their control and even as PWI raised some hopes by dismissing them the low total ensured they still made it home by 6 wickets with 4 balls to spare.

Superb opening spell by KTK pacers saw RR crash to 32/3 after 6 with 40% COW. Watto and Menaria raised some hopes of recovery before Hodge ran through the middle order as RR were wiped out for just 97 in 18.3 overs with 20% COW. There was only one result possible and it was pretty clear as McCullum smashed 4 sixes as he raced to 29 off 12. Despite both openers falling early, KTK were 59/2 after 4 with 99% COW. Patel and Hodge did not go easy as they hammered away at hapless RR attack to end the match with 12.4 overs to spare.

Gilly failed yet again but Valthaty found his orange cap touch and with Marsh, he put DD attack to sword with another fifty. At 123/1 after 14 with 59% COW, KXIP were looking good till a double blow in next over derailed their innings. A cameo by Karthik helped them recover to 170/6 with 58% COW. DD got off to a decent and steady start as Ojha and Warner put up fifty runs. However Shalabh kicked off a collapse by picking up both of them as Chawla picked off 3 more to destroy DD’s line up as they reached 141/8 to lose by 29 runs.

A Malinga special cleaned up Lumb for a duck and DC struggled right from the start. Sohal and Sangakkara tried to lay a base but a collapse saw them stumble to 59/4 after 11 with 40% COW. Dhawan, inexplicably batting at number 7, and Mishra hit some big ones to help DC post 135/6 with 41% COW. Incisive opening spells by JPD and Ishant left MI reeling at 26/3 after 6 with 51% COW. Symonds hung around uncharacteristically giving company to Sachin but required run rate spiraled out of control and they all succumbed to pressure. Pollard came in too late to turn it around as MI ended with 125/8 to lose by 10 runs.

In this rain affected match KKR never really got going and at one point were 41/3 after 8 with 40% COW before Pathan swung his bat around to help them reach 89/4 after 13 when innings ended. The revised target of 102 off 13 gave KKR 44% COW. Once again it was Gayle whose whirlwind 38 off 12 meant that despite losing wickets RCB were always in control of the chase and they scampered home by 4 wickets with 3 balls left.

Baz and Mahela gave KTK a rare good start and nearly put on a century stand before Baz fell with KTK at 94/1 after 9 with 57% COW. Mahela continued his attack despite wickets falling around him and it was purely his 76 off 52 that helped KTK post a challenging 178/7 with 54% COW. Gilly and Valthaty fell early as KXIP looked in trouble at 35/2 after 5 with % COW. Marsh and Karthik put together a century stand as Karthik blazed away to a fifty. They both fell in same over but at/4 after 15 with 55% COW DD were on their way to victory that they achieved by 6 wickets with 7 balls to spare.

Hussey flopped for once and even Raina fell early as CSK look in trouble at 42/2 after 6 with 52% COW. But Badri and Vijay set up a platform before Vijay got out. MSD walked in and simply took the game away from DD with a blistering fifty in company of Badri who also notched up a fifty as CSK ended with 176/4 with 63% COW. Despite an early wicket DD looked up for the chase as they were 54/1 after 7 with 38% COW. But two quick wickets set them back and despite Irfan and Rao’s cameos they were never back in the hunt as they ended with 158/6 to lose by 18 runs.

Watto and RD finally gave RR a great start but both fell in same over as at halfway mark RR were 74/2 with 49% COW. Once again rest of the batsmen failed to build on the platform as RR could muster only 146/6 with 45% COW. As expected Dilshan and Gayle blazed away to a fifty partnership and when Dilshan was out RCB were already half way there at 69/1 after 7 with 66% COW. Gayle continued unabashed in Kohli’s company who played a solid innings to take RCB home. Gayle remained 70* off44 balls as RCB crashed home by 9 wickets with 3 overs to spare.

Gilly and Marsh gave KXIP a rollicking start despite an early wicket as KXIP looked good at 86/1 after 10 with 55% COW. Malinga got Gilly but Marsh continued with Karthik till Munaf and Malinga cleaned up the KXIP batting to see them end with 163/8 with 55% COW. The much vaunted MI batting line came unstuck as 3 wickets fell in 3 overs as they crashed to 28/3 after 5 with 40% COW. Not a single batsman touched 20 as they crumbled to 80/7 after 12 with just 20% COW before Bhatt picked up 3 in next over to skittle them out for 87 as MI crashed to a 76 run defeat.

Dhawan and Teja gave DC a good start till both fell in consecutive overs as DC reached 59/2 after 8 with 51% COW. Yuvi and Marsh then restricted the DC batsmen with a tight spell and picked up wickets as a result as DC could score only 136/8 with 44% COW. Ryder played a brutal cameo and Dada walked in with PWI at 55/1 after 7 with 63% COW. Pandey and Ganguly took them close to target before a mini collapse occurred. However Ganguly remained calm to guide PWI home by 6 wickets with 1.4 overs to spare.

Vijay put behind his poor form as he and Hussey got CSK off to a great start and by the time Hussey got out, CSK was 84/1 after 10 with 55% COW. Vijay brought up his fifty in Raina’s company but his wicket brought MSD to the crease. 71 runs came off the last 6 overs as MSD and Raina tore apart the RR attack and helped CSK end with 196/3, their COW up to 63%. RR struggled to keep up with the required run rate and lost wickets as they stuttered to 70/4 after 10 with 23% COW. Rahane’s fighting fifty was never going to be enough in the face of the huge target as RR were bowled out for 133 to lose by 63 runs.

After losing Gilchrist early Valthaty, Marsh, and Hodge got starts and helped KXIP reach 79/2 after 12 with 45% COW. But once Marsh fell the floodgates opened as none of the following batsmen even crossed 10 as KXIP’s sorry IPL campaign continued with 120/8 and 33% COW. With a low target in sight Ryder, Pandey and Uthappa combined to help PWI reach 69/2 after 11 with 89% COW. But Yuvraj came to the crease and went after the bowling as the very next over KXIP’s COW was 99% and from then on it was a mere formality as they cantered home by 5 wickets with 2.5 overs to spare.

KTK got off to a good start and looked in good position at 64/1 after 8 with 52% COW before 3 wickets in 3 overs saw them stutter to 75/4 after 11 with 44% COW. Jadeja tried to steady the innings but got zero support as not a single KTK player crossed 25 as their innings collapsed to 125/9 with 43% COW. Any hopes they had of making a match off this were snuffed out as Dilshan score 20 runs off the 2nd over and Gayle bludgeoned 37 runs off the 3rd as RCB raced off to 66/0 after 3 with 71% COW. Gayle feel coon after but Dilshan went on to score a fifty and in company of Kohli saw RCB home with 9 wicket and 6.5 overs to spare.

After a fifty opening start MI stumbled as 2 wickets fell for 4 runs in 2 overs with MI reaching 54/2 after 7 with 52% COW. Rayudu continued his good run with another fifty and Sharma fell just short of another one as their partnership took MI to 149/3 after 17 and eventually to 178/4 with 65% COW. DD’s innings got derailed at start as they crashed to 7/4 after 3 with 25% COW. Rao, Hopes and Pathan tried to fight back but in spite of their best effort it was too big an ask after that horror start as DD ended at 146 with a ball to go to lose by 32 runs.

CSK’s run of good starts came to an end as they lost Vijay and Raina early to be 15/2 after 6 with 41% COW. Hussey fell after a struggle and despite a fifty from Badrinath, even Morkel found it hard to get going as CSK only managed to score 114/4 after 20 with 40% COW. Rain continued interrupting the match as despite losing Morgan early Kallis, Gambhir and Tiwary ensured that KKR were always ahead of CSK as per DL-method. Finally when rain did end the match early KKR’s 61/2 after 10 was good enough to win the match by 10 runs.

Chris Gayle has been the man behind the change in RCB’s fortune and he was at it again as his whirlwind century meant that by the time he got out for 107, RCB were 155/3 after 15 with 63% COW. AB made the most of the few deliveries he got as RCB ended with a daunting 205/6 with 65% COW. KXIP had a tough task on their hands and that got tougher as they crashed to 67/7 after 11 with 1% COW and Gayle and Aravind picked up 7 wickets between them.

Teja fell at start but Dhawan and Sangakkara built a solid platform before Dhawan was out as DC reached 58/2 after 9 with 47% COW. Sangakkara fell short of a fifty but JP came in and blasted a fifty to help DC score 175/5 with 59% COW. DD’s horrible season continued as they were reduced to 29/3 after 6 with 29% COW. And then Sehwag took control. 53 runs came off over 8-10 as DD’s COW jumped from 27% to 43%. Sehwag went on to smack 119 off 56 and by the time he was out DD were well on course with 157/5 after 17 with 71% COW. Hopes finished off the job as DD scampered home with one over to spare.

KTK lost Baz in the first over and struggled as they scored just 35/2 in 6 with 42% COW. Apart from Jayawardene who scored a fifty other threw away their starts till he found support in Hodge whose rapid 35 helped KTK end with 156/5 with 45% COW. KKR got off to a brilliant start as Morgan and Kallis put together a steady stand but Kallis and Gambhir fell off consecutive deliveries as KKR reached 69/2 after 11 with 56% COW. Morgan scored his first fifty of IPL but wickets kept falling at the other end as KKR could only score 139/7 and lost the match by 17 runs.

Blizzard fell early but Sachin and Rayudu gave MI a steady start till Sachin fell with score 62/2 after 9 with 54% COW. Rayudu fell soon and so did Sharma but Suman and Pollard smashed PWI attack including 28 runs off 19th over to take MI to 160/7 with 59% COW. PWI started disastrously losing Ryder off first ball and were soon 21/2 after 4 with 35% COW. Pandey got some support from Jhunjhunwala and Yuvi but neither stayed around long enough. Pandey and Uthappa tried to catch up with RRR but it was too late. Finally when Pandey fell after for 59 the game was as good as over with PWI at 128/6 after 19 with 1% COW. They eventually ended with 139/7 to lose by 21 runs.