An emphatic victory for Bangalore seals the deal with Chennai. Except for a rollicking first wicket partnership of 61 in 42 balls between Hayden and Patel, Chennai were never in the game. After restricting Chennai to 146/5, Bangalore chased the target in a clinical manner losing just four wickets and winning by 7 balls to spare.

Like everyone else who will be talking about the result of this match, let me point out the obvious: The two teams who were placed at the bottom of the Points Table last year will now play each other in the finals. What a turnaround! Bangalore’s performance has been even more miraculous as they were at the verge of elimination before winning the last four league matches in a row. Deccan has been so-so after their initial four-win sprint, but they too deserve appreciation for the way they have reached the finals.

Chennai will be very disappointed with their performance today, particularly the batting that failed to build upon the strong foundation laid by their openers. A score of 146 is way below Chennai’s potential. But they were also let down with some ordinary bowling. Muttiah Muralidharan tried his best, but he gave away a six at a critical juncture. Oram conceded a six off a no-ball in the next over and Bangalore needed no second invitation.

It is ironic how Anil Kumble gets the captaincy by someone’s default even though he has been a great performer for both Bangalore and India. It doesn’t take a genius to notice how Bangalore started winning against the tougher teams after Kumble took over. Today, Kumble stuck to a plan using only his frontline bowlers and not panicking when the going got tough in the first few overs. The calmness of Jumbo!

So tomorrow is the big day. A South Indian affair between the teams from two IT cities. Will Bangalore repeat their victory over Deccan from two days ago? Or will it be revenge? The two captains could not be more different, but both are extremely competitive. Cannot wait.