Cheerleaders provide the cutting edge

The cheerleaders at the Indian Premier League matches are becoming a popular accessory to the game of cricket.

Put some legendary cricketers to show off their skills on the field, make a few pretty faces shake a leg on the boundary line and, voila, you've got a complete entertainment package.

Here we have cheerleaders dancing away during the match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The big boundaries and the sixes lofted over the outfield have generated excitement aplenty. And the presence of the ever-smiling cheerleaders only adds to the frenzy.

Here the cheerleaders of Delhi Daredevils pose before the start of the match between the Daredevils and the Rajasthan Royals played at the Ferozshah Kotla.

Rajasthan Royals fans dance with all gusto, but their cheering wasn't enough to inspire. The Royals went down by 67 runs.

Dinesh Karthik scored a blistering half-century and spinner Amit Mishra took three wickets in that match to script Daredevils' victory.

Cheerleaders flash their pearly whites for the shutterbugs during match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers at the Eden Gardens.

The match was comprehensively won by the Knight Riders, who cruised to a 24-run victory.

In a match featuring teams that had played the tournament opener - in Navi Mumbai on March 12 - the result was the same, victory for Kolkata Knight Riders.

The Cheerleaders for the Rajasthan Royals take time out during the match against Chennai Super Kings.

The match turned out to be a thriller as Chennai Super Kings edged past Rajasthan Royals by 23 runs.

That match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals was a high-scoring affair. The Royals had to chase a mammoth 247 for victory.

They could only amass 223-5. 

Chennai opener Murali Vijay scored what was the fourth fastest hundred in IPL history - off just 46 balls. He was out after scoring 127 off 56 deliveries.

Chennai Super Kings cheerleaders dance to some Hindi music. 

Their rhythmic sequences certainly inspired the team. Chennai did well to register their first ever win over Rajasthan on Indian soil, the latter having triumphed in four previous encounters.

Chennai won that match purely because of Murali Vijay's dashing century.

Vijay, who has a reputation of being a grafter, made the nation sit up and take notice of his stroke-play with a blistering innings.

With that one knock the 26-year-old helped erase preconceived notions the selectors and public had of his batting style.

A cheerleader poses during the match between Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore, at the Ferozshah Kotla on Sunday.

The match was played on a track that suited big hitting. And Paul Collingwood took advantage of that to score a blazing 75 to help Daredevils to a 37-run victory and go second in the standings.

Collingwood's effort with the bat was mixed with a dose of fun, as a traditional Punjabi band played the dhol on the boundary line.

The Englishman went after the Bangalore bowlers before Pradeep Sangwan took three wickets to help Delhi's cause.