The final no one expected

Chennai committed the same mistake as Delhi Daredevils on Saturday, slowing down after the strategy break. No wonder then that they met with the same fate. Bangalore Royals Challengers knocked last year's runners-up out with a six-wicket win to set up the unlikeliest of title clashes against the Deccan Chargers on Sunday.

Chasing 147 after the bowlers had done superb job, Rahul Dravid and Manish Pandey anchored the innings with 72-run stand for the third wicket before Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli completed the rout with seven balls to spare.

Manish Pandey, who hit a century in the last game, started the chase off in style, hitting Albie Morkel past cover and then square-driving him with great finesse. At the other end, Jacques Kallis smashed two consecutive fours past point off Manpreet Gony to get them underway.

Kallis and Roelof van der Merwe fell early, leaving Bangalore at a precarious 22-2, but Chennai's new-ball bowlers couldn't keep Pandey quiet.
With the pacers disappointing, Dhoni turned to Shadab Jakati's left-arm spin in the fifth over, but Dravid proved up to the challenge as they maintained a run-rate just under 10-an-over. As a last throw of the dice, Dhoni introduced Murali in the 10th over, but while there were two big appeals, nothing went Chennai's way as Bangalore got to the break at 82/2.

Earlier in the evening, Mathew Hayden and Parthiv Patel gave Chennai an enterprising start after being put into bat. Parthiv often outscored Hayden as the duo added 61 runs for the first wicket before Vinay Kumar got rid of the Aussie.

Bangalore realised the need to take the pace off the ball as Dhoni, who walked in at number 3, and Raina, one of their leading run-scorers, couldn't keep the momentum going.

Kumble kept the pressure on the Chennai batting, rotating his bowlers smartly, and Chennai kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Only a few big hits from Morkel took them to a respectable total.