Much before he scripted Delhi’s fall with a blistering 35-ball 85, Adam Gilchirst had penned down the result of the match on a piece of paper: a six-wicket win for Deccan Chargers. “I don’t know if anyone will believe me but before coming to the ground, I actually wrote on a piece of paper what the result of the game would be,” said Gilchrist showing the piece to everyone.

Gilchrist also admitted that this was one his best T20 innings. “I scored a 100 last year but it wasn’t a semi-final. We hadn’t beaten Delhi in two years and it’s nice to get that monkey off the back.

“I was really upset getting out a ball before the strategy break. You expect people to learn from experience but 15 years at the top doesn’t seem to have done me any good.” Virender Sehwag, who ended up on the wrong side of a semi-final result yet again, felt there was little a team could do when Gilchrist got going. “I tried everything, bowled every bowler, including myself but he finished the match in 10 overs.” Despite the hammering, or perhaps because of it, Sehwag said he was backing Chennai to win the IPL.