The Deccan Chargers will be the first team in this year’s IPL to feature in back-to-back matches, when they take on the Kings XI Punjab at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Saturday had seen the Chargers beat the Kolkata Knight Riders in a thrilling encounter that saw them take 26 runs in the last over of Mashrafe Mortaza.

With that win, the Chargers (9/2 at Ladbrokes to win IPL) went up to 14 points from 12 games, and one step closer to the semi-final stage. The Kings XI Punjab (13/5 at Betfair to reach final), on the other hand have 12 from 12, and if they end up on the losing side in this game, it could very well be a very difficult ball-game for them. On the other hand, if they manage to put it across the Chargers, both the teams will have 14 points from 13 games, and need to win their respective final games to try and enter the semi-final!

Both teams will come into the game with a win under their belt. However, it must be taken into account that the Chargers may be a tired unit after their energy-sapping game last night.

Punjab (11/10 at 888Sport to beat Deccan) had managed to surprise the top-placed Delhi Daredevils thanks to a superlative performance by Brett Lee (4/1 at Stan James to be most economic). He scalped three wickets and won the man-of-the-match. Piyush Chawla (7/2 at Stan James to be most economic) has gone unnoticed, but his economy has been only 7 runs/over. Pragyan Ojha (7/2 at Stan James) will enjoy bowling in Jo’burg, as had Murali Kartik in the game against the Chargers, and will be my favourite to bowl the most economic spell of the game.

Adam Gilchrist (3/1 at Ladbrokes to be top Deccan Chargers) looks to be in the form of his life, but he hasn’t had too much support from the others in the top-order. Herschelle Gibbs (7/2 at Sky Bet to be top scorer) was dropped when Andrew Symonds (4/1 at Paddy Power to be top scorer for Chargers) came in, but then came in place of Dwayne Smith in the previous game. He looked a little scratchy, and very unlike the Gibbs one has grown to see. Rohit Sharma (9/2 at Sky Bet to top Deccan) hasn’t had the really big scores, but one hopes that his match-winning cameo from the Kolkata game and his bowling gives him the confidence to further up.

Kings XI Punjab may have been bolstered by the presence of Lee, but the batting continues to give them trouble. Simon Katich hardly looks like he is cut out for T20, where as Mahela Jayawardene may not play another game due to his pulled hamstring. Luke Pomersbach (6/1 at Bet365) has had his chances, but is nowhere close to regaining the form he had exhibited in the previous season of the IPL. This leaves a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the two senior pros; Yuvraj Singh and Kumar Sangakkara to top-score in the inning (both 7/2 at Ladbrokes to do so).

Tips:
Favourites: Kings XI Punjab (11/10 at 888Sport)
Top Kings XI Punjab batsman: Yuvraj Singh (7/2 at Ladbrokes)
Top Deccan batsman: Andrew Symonds (4/1 at Paddy Power)
Most economic bowler: Pragyan Ojha (7/2 at at Stan James)