Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab, played at Mumbai Saturday 31st May

The second semi final features MS Dhoni’s Super Kings against the all-conquering Kings XI, led by Yuvraj Singh.   As 2nd vs 3rd in the table this is theoretically a closer game than the first semi final, but of course anything can happen in 20/20....

Punjab’s final record was 10 wins and 4 losses, with Chennai at 8 wins and 6 losses.

The head to head record shows Chennai winning the fist matchup way back in the second game of the IPL thanks to a rapid century from Mike Hussey a part of a monster total of 240, which Punjab simply couldn’t chase.

Chennai also took the return contest back in game 31, with big runs from Badrinath and Dhoni.  Despite decent efforts from Irfan Pathan and Shaun Marsh, Punjab couldn’t get over the line and lost by 18 runs.

Much has changed on both sides since the start of the tournament, with Hayden, Hussey and Jacob Oram defecting from the Chennai outfit, and Punjab losing the largely ineffective Ramnaresh Sarwan and Simon Katich, plus the highly awkward Brett Lee.   Crucially Punjab have picked up the tremendous Shaun Marsh since the fifth game, while Chennai have acquired South African paceman Makhaya Ntini, who has been effective.

The Chennai team will further have to do without the services of opening batsman Stephen Fleming, who has returned home for the birth of his child.   He had just started to get to grips with the 20/20 format, although it would probably be wrong to describe his absence as a devastating blow to the Super Kings.   His partner - pint sized Parthiv Patel - remains, and the team management will have a re-shuffle to find a new opener.

The middle order of Chennai is a power packed affair, with Raini scoring freely at times at number three, although he has often had to come in earlier than he would wish....