Chandigarh push to stay in top four

Match facts

Oct 31, 2008
Start time 7.30pm (1400 GMT)

Big Picture

The league has entered its next phase of matches in Panchkula and Chandigarh, who have three wins out of four matches, are ready to take advantage of home support as they push for a semi-final berth. Chandigarh were dealt a severe blow, when the ICL suspended Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia, but they regrouped splendidly under new captain Andrew Hall to beat the in-form Royal Bengal Tigers by eight wickets. They now have a game in hand and have a strong chance of making the final four.

Dhaka Warriors are currently in the bottom half of the points table but a victory, though Chandigarh will be tougher to beat than Mumbai Champs, could lift hopes of entering the top four. A defeat, however, could put an end to realistic semi-final hopes.

Where they rank

Chandigarh are currently fourth in the table but they have played one game less than the top two teams and two less than Bengal at No. 3. A win against Dhaka will enable Chandigarh to displace Bengal for, although the two teams will have equal points, Chandigarh will have the better net run-rate.

Dhaka are placed sixth with two victories from five matches and are level with Lahore Badshahs on four points. A win tomorrow will take them to fourth for they currently have a better run-rate than Chandigarh, although they will have played an extra game.

Form guide (most recent match first)

Chandigarh Lions: WLWW
Dhaka Warriors: WLWLL

Stats

• Bipul Sharma and Andrew Hall have the best economy-rates in the tournament. Sharma has bowled only two overs for 10 runs in one match, while Hall has bowled 16 at 5.31 per over.

Daryl Tuffey has a reputation for picking up wickets in his first over. He's taken seven wickets from four matches at 13.42 apiece and the only time he went wicketless, against Hyderabad Heroes, Chandigarh lost.

Alok Kapali is second on the highest run-scorer's charts, one run behind Bengal's Hamish Marshall. He's also the ICL's only centurion and is enjoying this fast and furious format.

Quotes

"It is important that the efforts of our main batsmen are supplemented by others. Also, we need to bowl a better line and length in order to contain the opposition."
Dhaka Warriors captain Habibul Bashar calls for a total team effort.