Cobras, T&T eyeing win as Group A remains wide open

Chennai, Oct 3 (PTI) Nothing less than a win will do for
Cape Cobras and Trinidad & Tobago when they clash on Tuesday
in their last Champions League Twenty20 match of Group A,
which is poised tantalisingly with all five teams still in
with a chance of making it to the knockout stage.
Presciently dubbed the 'Group of Death' prior to the
start of the tournament, Group A heads into its final round of
matches with no team still assured of a semifinal berth.
Topping the group and with a foot already in the last
four stage are Mumbai Indians, who have overcome a
debilitating injury situation to be at the forefront with five
points. Next up is Australian side New South Wales Blues with
four points, followed by Cobras with three.
T&T, who claimed the giant scalp of local favourites and
defending champions Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, are in
the fourth place with two points.
The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK, also on two points,
bring up the rear by virtue of an inferior net run rate.
If the Cobras, who have only one win against New South
Wales and a no result so far, win on Tuesday they will move to
five points and may eke their way to the semis by virtue of a
better net run rate than Mumbai Indians, who despite being
group leaders have the worst net run rate among the lot.
NSW too will progress as group winners with six points if
the Australian side win in their crucial match against CSK
tomorrow.
However, a defeat on Tuesday to either Cobras or NSW,
will ensure Mumbai's progression to the semifinal, while
forming a three-way tie among NSW, CSK and T&T -- all with
four points each, meaning the calculation will come down to
run rate.
T&T, on the other hand, will have to beat Cobras and hope
NSW lose to CSK to stand any chance of entering the semis. Any
other result and they would be eliminated.
As things stand, T&T have the second-best net run rate in
the group at +0.183, while Cobras have the best net run rate
at +0.443. PTI ARP