On the slower tracks

Kolkata have revived their chances of making it to the semi finals with a good win over Deccan in the last match. Punjab are practically out now, but must take it as a knock out tournament as there is still a theoretical possibility of them making it to the semis. They could well spoil Kolkata’s chances with a win tomorrow.

Kolkata had huge pluses to take home from the last match where Bond, Murali Kartik and Angelo Mathews bowled well but the biggest one was “Dada” Sourav Ganguly scoring 88 at a brisk striking rate of 162. Mohnish Parmar failed to leave any impression with his off spinners. Talented left arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla would have been an automatic choice to replace him but the presence of numerous left handed batsmen in the Punjab line up may deter Ganguly from playing him. Brendon McCullum has arrived after a good series with the bat against the Aussies. Gayle is too intimidating a batsman to leave out and Angelo Mathews has been performing really well. It seems like David Hussey will sit out if McCullum has to be drafted in. Ganguly would like to win the toss and bat first again, something which worked pretty well for him in the match against Deccan.

Punjab could smell the second win for them in this season but just then Uthappa sent the ball flying to all parts of the ground in a Brett Lee over. Its been a case of being so near yet so far for Punjab all this season. They need to be positive and believe that they can still go some way in this tournament. Seven in seven was what Australia did to win the 1999 World Cup. Punjab have baffled everyone with their selections of the playing eleven. Firstly Juan Theron who looked to be their best bowler has been sitting out since Brett Lee has arrived and secondly they have kept Reetinder Sodhi aside as if they want to impose another exemplary ban on the rebel league returnees. Ramesh Powar is clever as a fox and must play against Kolkata who have the lefty duo of Gayle and Ganguly opening the innings. The pitch at Eden Gardens always aids the side bowling second and so Punjab will also be looking to bat first.

With both the teams at equal points from equal matches, Daredevils v Royal Challengers promises to be a mouth watering clash. The pitch at Kotla isn’t a conventional T20 pitch and the result of the match could well be decided courtesy one brilliant performance by a batsman.

Delhi will be missing Nannes who is injured but will be bolstered by the arrival of Daniel Vettori. Bangalore are likely to play eleven right handed men which both Vettori and Mishra will relish. Sarabjit Ladda and Andrew McDonald are likely to sit out and another pacer or an all rounder in Rajat Bhatia is likely to fit in. Delhi’s opening combo is ideal for the pitch they have at Kotla and a blinder from either Sehwag or Warner could seal the deal for Delhi.

Bangalore have concerns with Praveen Kumar going for too many runs in the last few matches. They have a sameness about their attack and can be short of resources at Delhi where teams need more slower bowlers. It would be a risk taking out a proper batsman but it seems the only way they can add variety to their bowling . The choice would be to either replace White and Praveen with Roelof van der Merwe and B Akhil or to play with the same eleven and hope that the batsmen can score big or chase anything down. Ross Taylor would have walked into the side in place of Cameron White but it would be a headache now, having to choose between adding firepower to the batting and adding variety to the bowling. Bangalore have chased well in the tournament but would like to bat first at Delhi and back one of Pandey, Uthappa and Taylor to run riot.

Dr. Mohit Goyal
www.goyalmohit.blogspot.com

Turning the tide

While Kings XI Punjab are still to do something substantive in the tournament, Bangalore have suffered a halt in the momentum with defeats in the last two games. Punjab have all the talent in the world but its the form and the hunger that seem to be lacking. Bangalore need a win now to keep things on track or they will suddenly find themselves in the lower middle of the points table. The result of the match will depend a lot on which team shows more hunger to win.

Punjab had clawed back into the match very nicely against Mumbai but it seemed to be the lack of belief that let them down. Vikramjeet Malik might have taken a lot of wickets in the plate division of the Ranji Trophy but he has some work to do before he can succeed at this level. One of Sodhi or Powar should replace him but Sangakkara may be deterred with the bounce on offer at Mohali. Karan Goel has failed to impress and may make way for Kaif or Tanmay Srivastava. Juan Theron bowled splendidly in the two matches he played but the lack of quality Indian batsmen hasn’t allowed the team to free a foreign player spot for him. Punjab should look to bowl first, hope that Brett Lee strikes, restrict Bangalore below 160 and then target chasing down the total by the 19th over.

Bangalore were doing well in the match against Chennai but the loss of momentum during overs 11 to 15 while batting and then two no balls by Vinay Kumar in the 19th over of the Chennai innings cost them the match. Praveen Kumar has been very expensive in the last two matches and must sit out to get his hunger going again. Abhimanyu Mithun had a superb domestic season, playing a big role in Karnataka’s march to the Ranji Trophy final and can be entrusted upon to do the job for Bangalore. The lack of batting all rounders comes to haunt Bangalore time and again and is likely to be an issue if even one of the five regular bowlers goes for runs in the initial overs. Ross Taylor if not too Jet lagged should replace Kevin Pietersen who is a bit lower on the reliability quotient than Cameron White. Bangalore bowlers will enjoy the bounce at Mohali and will look to test the subcontinental batsmen in the Punjab line up with some short stuff.
Dr. Mohit Goyal
www.goyalmohit.blogspot.com

An extreme battle

Mumbai and Punjab might be the two sides from opposite extremes of the points table but the best thing about IPL is that, no matter what, no team starts an overwhelming favorite. Mumbai are on a roll and would want to continue the momentum but the law of averages is bound to catch up at some point in time. Punjab on the other hand are desperate for a win to salvage some pride and the ban on Sangakkara could be a blessing in disguise with Shaun Marsh getting a go.

Mumbai need not make any changes but may be prompted to bring Dilhara Fernando in place of Ryan McLaren who has taken just one wicket in four matches and has conceded runs at 8.53 per over. They could do what they did in the first match of the season and play only three foreigners with Dhawal Kulkarni or Ali Murtaza replacing McLaren. They have a lot of bowling and so have an option of even bringing in Jayasuriya or Duminy. Zaheer and Malinga have bowled beautifully at the death so Mumbai will again look to win the toss and bat first.

Sangakkara will be serving a one match ban and Shaun Marsh is set to open the innings. Jayawardene has been declared the captain for this match and that leaves two more foreign player spots. They should go to Brett Lee and Juan Theron, as they are very quick and Mumbai have four Indian batsmen who do not have a lot of experience at the highest level. They would have seldom faced such pace. Irfan Pathan should be playing only as a batting all rounder. Both Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar must play as they can take the pace off the ball.

Again, its reached the level of fatigue asking as to why Reetinder Sodhi hasn’t got a game yet so it won’t be discussed any more. A good start from Shaun Marsh and a befitting innings from a long overdue Yuvraj could well hault Mumbai’s Juggernaut.

Mohit Goyal
dr.mohitgoyal@gmail.com

Crucial for Kolkata, do or die for Punjab

While Kings XI Punjab can get off the bottom of the table with a win today, Kolkata can spring right into the fifth position if they win by a good margin. Both Kolkata and Punjab have the squads to succeed but need to be proactive and increase their intensities.

Kolkata would straight away push the batting all-rounder David Hussey into the team. He is an experienced limited overs cricketer and can score quickly, something Kolkata are in dire need of. Angelo Mathews’ ratings shot up after good performances in the first two matches but he hasn’t been consistent. If Charl Langeveldt is fit, Kolkata should play him as well as Shane Bond. The two other foreign players would be Chris Gayle and David Hussey, both of whom can chip in with some valuable overs as well. Ganguly should partner Gayle at the top and Manoj Tiwary should be brought back in without any delay. Three quickies plus Murali Kartik and four overs pooled by Gayle, Hussey and Ganguly would give them the balance.

Punjab need to make radical changes to get the pessimism and passivity out, which must be rampant by now after the series of losses. Shaun Marsh if fit, would be inducted without any further pondering. Brett Lee is also likely to play to add zing to the attack. It would be very hard to leave out Juan Theron who has bowled splendidly in the two matches he has played. That may lead to Ravi Bopara also sitting out. Bopara has been scoring runs but is very slow and is eating up too many balls. Reetinder Sodhi would walk into most IPL sides but why Punjab seem so wary of fielding him keeps all of us flummoxed. Its got to the point where it is totally incomprehensible as to why he hasn’t got a game until now.
The pitch at Mohali as always is likely to have some bounce which the pacers as well as stroke makers will enjoy. Both the teams would like to win the toss and bat first but Punjab more so.

Dr. Mohit Goyal
www.goyalmohit.blogspot.com

The battle with some Oomph…

Punjab and Rajasthan may be languishing at the bottom of the table, but owned by two of the most glamorous ladies from tinsel town, the match is sure to attract a few eyeballs. The battle between these two teams has always been built up as a Pathan v Pathan battle and it doesn’t seem to be any different this time. While Yusuf scored a 37 ball ton against Mumbai, Irfan too gave Deccan a late scare with a 29 ball 60. Some people are calling it a fight between two contenders for the wooden spoon, but it may be too early as of now. The team which wins will go equal on points with Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata, all of whom have their net run rates below zero.

Punjab are likely to continue with Irfan Pathan at the top of the order and that doesn’t leave much to do for Manvinder Bisla who might now make way for the multifaceted Reetinder Sodhi. Shaun Marsh if fully fit may replace unlucky Ravi Bopara, who has stood tall amidst most collapses. Brett Lee has come back, but if not 100% is unlikely to replace Juan Theron, the hero for Punjab in their last match. Sangakkara is having a poor run and would like to make amends. Yuvraj is vital to Punjab’s plans of scoring big and scoring quick. Rajasthan showed character to beat Kolkata after losing three out of three. Newcomer Faiz Fazal scored some quick runs and then Jhunjhunwala and Voges brought in all their experience.

Warne would want consistent contributions at the top from Naman Ojha, while Michael Lumb is also likely to get another chance. The ploy of starting with Yusuf’s off spinners worked well in the last match and may continue if left handers Marsh and Irfan open for Punjab. Rajasthan would again look to bat first, get a decent total and put the inconsistent Punjab batting under pressure.

Dr. Mohit Goyal
www.goyalmohit.blogspot.com

Charismatic Ganguly and Dhoni clash at Eden while workmen-like Kumble and Sangakkara face off at Bangalore

Knight Riders had looked stronger than ever even before the IPL-3 actually kicked off but they have done really well to win two out of two even in the absence of Gayle, McCullum and Bond. Bond is with the team now but Whatmore and Ganguly will have a tough time trying to fit him in with the 4 foreign players cap. A numbingly freezing triple sundae including Bond, Ishant and Langeveldt could give the Chennai batsmen some toothache. Kolkata look formidable as four batsmen in their line up – Hodge, Tiwary, Matthews and Owais Shah have good innings under their belts already.
Chennai desperately need support for Matthew Hayden at the top. Vijay, Raina and Badrinath left too much for the lower middle order in the last match. They may look at bringing in Thushara or Ntini in place of Morkel or more likely in place of Kemp. Sudeep Tyagi’s position may also be challenged by Gony or Ganapathy.

With one loss from one for each, Punjab and Bangalore will look to redeem at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Punjab’s bowlers weren’t bad in their first match against Delhi but still a pacer could replace Ramesh Powar, who didn’t have much to do in that match. They would really want two of their big four – Sangakkara, Yuvraj, Jayawardene and Bopara to fire. Punjab might bring in “all-round asset” Reetinder Sodhi in place of Manvinder Bisla, who failed to impress. Jayawardene, Sangakkara or Irfan Pathan may open the innings then.
For Bangalore, in all probability Shreevats Goswami and Dale Steyn will make way for Mark Boucher and one of Vinay Kumar or Abhimanyu Mithun. In that case Eoin Morgan will open the innings, which anyways should always have been their choice in first place. Praveen Kumar, Kumble and Roelof van der Merwe bowled well in the first match. Kumble must also look to use Virat Kohli more frequently as a bowler. He is a mean customer and diversifies the options.

Mohit Goyal
dr.mohitgoyal@gmail.com
www.goyalmohit.blogspot.com

They say that in cricket, the game isn’t over until it’s over. This holds so true for the match between the Deccan Chargers (DC) and the King’s XI Punjab (KXIP)!

The DC won the toss and elected to field first. Sunny Sohal and Simon Katich were the openers for the KXIP as usual, while Ryan Harris bowled the first over which consisted of two wides and one six. Nine runs were made off the first over. The first wicket fell in the second over, when Sohal was caught by Rohit Sharma on a ball by R. P. Singh after making only nine runs off 12 balls. The score was now 12-1. Luke Pomersbach came in after Sohal, but got out after making merely one run. Yuvraj Singh (Yuvi) came in next. While Sohal’s wicket fell in the third over, that of Katich fell in the fifth over when he was batting at 11 runs (ball Andrew Symonds, catch Pragyan Ojha). Kumar Sangakarra (Sanga) came in after Katich.

A partnership between Yuvi and Sanga would’ve been damaging, and the DC knew this, so they made sure to dismiss Yuvi before he could pose any potential threat. Wilkin Mota followed, and, at the end of 10 overs, the KXIP were 55-4. After the strategic break, Mota’s wicket fell, thanks to Tirumalasetti Suman’s bowling and Harris’s catch. Mota had made 12 runs off 19 balls. Irfan Pathan was the next batsman in.

Sanga had been the only batsman so far who had made a score of any significance, but after completing his sixth IPL 50, he got out at the score of 56 (43 balls) on a ball by R. P. and was caught by Harris. Brett Lee came in at six down. In the 20^th over, which was bowled by R. P., eight runs were made and one wicket was taken, that of Irfan Pathan, who was caught by Herschelle Gibbs after he made 17 runs off 11 balls. Piyush Chawla was the next and last man in. Thus, the KXIP made 134 runs at the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.

Adam Gilchrist (Gilly) and Gibbs opened the batting for the DC, while Lee opened the bowling attack. The first four overs were uneventful, but in the fifth over, Gilly fell victim to Ramesh Powar’s bowling (caught behind wicket) after making 23 runs off 13 balls. Suman came in after Gilly, but the very first ball he faced proved fatal for him, as he was bowled out by Powar! Thus, Powar was on a hat trick, but he didn’t manage to complete it as Symonds, who came in next, refused to oblige.

At the end of 10 overs, the DC were at 65-2. The third, and one of the biggest blows, fell on the DC when Gibbs got out after making 26 runs off 37 balls on a ball by Yuvi (catch Chawla). Rohit Sharma came in next. Symonds, on whom a lot of hopes were pinned, didn’t come through and got out after making only 25 runs off 25 balls (strike rate – 100) on a ball by Yuvi (stumping Sanga). Next man in was Venugopal Rao, who got out on the very next ball, and returned to the pavilion without scoring any runs.

After Rao’s dismissal, Dwaraka Ravi Teja came in, but was run out by Lee after making only 10 runs off 15 balls. Harris came in thereafter. It now looked like the match was lost for the DC, but in the 19^th over, bowled by Lee, Sharma hit one six, one four, and also got a Free Hit – courtesy a No Ball by Lee – off which he got one run. Suddenly, the DC, who had lost hope, sat up as they realised they still had a chance. Then, in the last over, Sharma was bowled out by Pathan after he had made 42 runs off only 26 balls.

After Sharma’s dismissal, R. P. came in, but he got out without making any runs. Then Jaskaran Singh came in. In the end, four runs were required off three balls, but that proved too much for the two batsmen on the field, and the DC ended at 133-8. Yes, they fell just two short of victory! Even worse, the KXIP won by only 1 run! It must have been agony for the DC, but the result couldn’t be helped. The DLF Maximum award was given to Rohit Sharma, while the Man of the Match was Yuvraj Singh.

Yuraj Singh was said to have picked up a hat trick, but that was a mistake, because he had taken only two wickets – that of Symonds and Rao – in succession, while the one before Symonds – Gibbs’ wicket – had been taken by Yuvraj, but not just before he took Symonds’ wicket. Thus, Yuvraj did take three wickets, but not on a hat trick. One wonders that while the management did not realise it, did Yuvraj also not realise that he had not got a hat trick?

By - Rashida Shabbir Arsiwala

Match won – king style!

Yes, the match was won by the ‘kings’, and in a style befitting them, too! Match number 46 was played between the Delhi Daredevils (DD) and the King’s XI Punjab (KXIP).

The KXIP won the toss and elected to field first. There was a slight change in the team as Mahela Jayawardena was not playing; besides that, the teams on both sides remained the same. The terrific duo of skipper Virender Sehwag (Viru) and Gautam Gambhir opened the batting, while on the bowling attack was Brett Lee. The first over started well for the DD, as seven runs were scored off it, including one boundary (four). However, the third over was not as good, as the first blow came the way of the DD with the dismissal of Viru on a ball by Lee, which was caught behind the wicket. Viru had made nine runs off eight balls by then. T. N. Dilshan came in after that.

Just one run had been scored after Viru’s wicket, and the match was already in the fourth over, when the second opener, Gambhir, was dismissed by Wilkin Mota on a run out after the former had made eight runs off 11 balls. After Gambhir came AB de Villiers, who also didn’t stay too long and was sent back to the pavilion after he had made 11 runs off 11 balls (strike rate – 100). The bowler was Sreesanth, while the fielder was skipper Yuvraj Singh (Yuvi). Mithun Manhas came in thereafter.

The fourth wicket looked like it was a replay of the third, except that the batsman was different; this time, it was Dilshan who got out, the bowler and fielder being the same as that during the time of the second wicket. Dilshan had made 10 runs off 19 balls, and was dismissed in the 10th over. Dinesh Karthik came in at four down.

The fifth wicket was that of Manhas, who was caught by Piyush Chawla. Farveez Maharoof came in at five down, but was bowled out in the 17th over by Lee after making only three runs. It was a fantastic over for Lee, as he not only got a wicket in it, but also delivered a maiden over! Daniel Vettori came and left quickly after that, as did Rajat Bhatia, who left without scoring any runs, on the very next ball. Thus, Brett Lee was on a hat trick, but he was unable to take it as Pradeep Sangwan, who was the new man in, did not succumb to his superb bowling.

The ninth and final wicket was that of Karthik, and it fell in the 20th over. Thus, the DD ended at a very ‘gettable’ total of 121-9. To win, the KXIP required just over six runs per over, which basically meant they needed a run a ball. And with their batting line up, it looked like a piece of cake. But the DD were not at the top for nothing, and gave the Punjab team a run for their money.

The openers for the KXIP were Sunny Sohal and Simon Katich, while Ashish Nehra bowled the first over, off which only two runs were scored. The second over was a different story altogether, as the KXIP got a four, not due to their own efforts, but courtesy an overthrow by Dilshan! The first wicket of the KXIP fell on a ball by Maharoof, when Katich was caught behind the wicket after he had made 26 runs off 10 balls. Luke Pomersbach was the next man in.

The second wicket was that of the other opener, Sohal, who was bowled out after he had made merely three runs off 12 balls, thus proving to be quite expensive. Sanga came in at two down. The third big break for the DD came in the form of a wicket of Pomersbach, who got out after making only nine runs. He was followed by Yuvi, and at the end of 10 overs, with Sanga and Yuvi on the field, the KXIP were at 51-3.

However, the two, who can wreak havoc on the opposition, couldn’t build a partnership as Yuvi got out on a ball by Sangwan (catch Viru) after having made 18 runs off 31 balls, once again proving to be expensive.

Irfan Pathan was the next and last man to walk on to the field. All this while there had been a difference of at least seven to eight balls (more runs, less balls), but Pathan brought it down to a mere two-ball difference, and the KXIP needed 12 runs to win off 10 balls. In such a situation, while the bowlers were trying their best to give dot balls, Pathan hit a six, thus leading to the equation being reversed – now, the number of balls was more, and the runs required, less.

Then, when the KXIP needed two runs to win from six balls, Viru was seen giving instructions to the fielders, but to no avail – the first ball of the 20th over was hit for a four, and the KXIP not only managed to get the target, but also got it in style, thus winning the match by six wickets!

The DLF Maximum award was given to Irfan Pathan for hitting two sixes, while Brett Lee was declared the Man of the Match for his fantastic bowling.

By -  Rashida Shabbir Arsiwala

The match between the King’s XI Punjab (KXIP) and the Deccan Chargers (DC) was a first, in that, it was the first match of the season for some of the players.

Some of the Australian cricketers, who had thus far been playing Pakistan in Dubai, have returned from the tour and are back in action in the IPL. Match number 36 saw Brett Lee (he wasn’t on the Pakistan tour, but this was his first match of the season) in action for the KXIP, and Andrew Symonds for the DC.

With the Australians back in the game, all eyes were on them. The KXIP won the toss and elected to field first. Brett Lee opened the bowling attack to fellow countryman Adam Gilchrist. In the sixth over, Lee delivered a No Ball and the DC got a Free Hit, but Lee recovered by bowling a fantastic slow bouncer on the Free Hit, so no runs were scored.

The first wicket of the DC fell when they were at the score of 31 runs, and Gilly (Gilchrist) departed after making 20 runs off 16 balls, on a ball by Sreesanth (catch Ramesh Powar).

While Suman came in at one down, Hershelle Gibbs, the other opener, was the second person to return to the pavilion. Piyush Chawla was the bowler, and Mahela Jayawardena was the fielder who caught the ball after Gibbs made 13 runs off 13 balls, batting at the strike rate of a perfect 100.

Rohit Sharma came in next, and before long, his partnership with Suman was destroyed as the latter got out on a ball by Mota, fielder being Jayawardena once again. Symonds, whose unbeatable batting the viewers were waiting for impatiently, came in next.

At the end of 10 overs, Symonds and Sharma were on the crease and the scoreboard of the DC stood at 72-3. In the 11th over, after the Strategic Break, Sharma got out on a ball by Lee, this being his first wicket in the series (catch, Kumara Sangakarra, wicketkeeper). Next man in was Venugopal Rao, and Symonds and Rao stayed till the end, but on the last ball, Rao got out, and thus, at the end of 20 overs, the DC score was 168 runs at the loss of five wickets.

The openers for the KXIP were Sunny Sohal and Simon Katich, while the opening bowler for the DC was Harris.

The KXIP were going at a steady pace when the first blow fell in the form of Sohal’s wicket, taken by Rohit Sharma. Sharma was on a roll, because, after a gap of one ball, he struck again, this time, bringing down Katich.

At the crease now were skipper Yuvraj Singh, and Sangakarra. Just as Sharma took two wickets, so did Shoaib Maqsusi, who brought down both the amazing batsmen, first, Sangakarra, by bowling him out after he had made 25 runs off 18 balls, and then, Yuvi (Yuvraj), who had managed to make only 18 runs off 13 balls (catch Gilly).

The batsmen on the field were now Jayawardena and Irfan Pathan. But the latter couldn’t last long, and got out soon enough, his place being taken by Wilkin Mota, who himself didn’t stay too long, rapidly making way for Brett Lee.

The biggest blow came when Jayawardena was dismissed (stumping, Gilly). Chawla came in next. Brett Lee, along with being a fabulous bowler, is also a batsman when needed, and this was proved in this match. He stayed till the end, and played an intelligent innings, hitting a few fours and sixes when required, thus keeping the run rate on par with the required rate.

As a result, the KXIP managed to get the total of 169 runs at the loss of seven wickets, and won the match. Thus, the return of the Australians provided a good impetus to the viewing of the match, and, at the end of the day, the fans were not disappointed.

By– Rashida Shabbir Arsiwala

Remember that match between the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders when ‘it rained fours and sixes’? Well, the match held between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the King’s XI Punjab (KXIP) on May 5, 2009, was just like that.

The RR won the toss and chose to bat. While the RR team remained unchanged, the KXIP had a new (old) player – Sreesanth. Sreesanth was playing his first match of this season of the IPL.

Naman Ojha and Graeme Smith opened the batting for the RR. The match was a great entertainer right from the first over, in which two sixes and one four were hit. As a result of this, by the end of 10 overs, the score of the RR stood at 93, without the loss of any wicket!

The fours and sixes continued to come down even after the Strategic Break, when on the very first ball of the 11th over, Smith hit a six, to complete his half century in style. Naman Ojha also completed his half century. However, in the 15th over, the first wicket of the RR fell, and Smith was dismissed by Ramesh Powar (catch Piyush Chawla) after he made 77 runs off only 44 balls! (Fall of wicket – 135-1).

By this time, the RR had great momentum going in their batting, and at this stage Yusuf Pathan came in. Also known to be a big hitter, Yusuf started hitting fours and sixes as soon as he was in. But he didn’t last long, and was dismissed on a ball by Chawla once again, and was caught by Karan Goel. He had made 12 runs off seven balls.

Next person in was Ravinder Jadeja. In the meantime, Ojha stayed on and continued hitting fours and sixes and it looked as if he would never stop! Nevertheless, in the 17th over, he hit a six, and got out on the next ball; Chawla once again weaving his magic spell on the ball (catch Simon Katich). But Ojha played a fabulous innings of 68 runs off 51 balls. Carseldine came in next.

Sreesanth, who had conceded the least amount of runs in the three overs which he bowled, also bowled the 19th over. However, his hard work of the previous overs went down the drain when he bowled a No Ball in the 19th over, because of which Jadeja got a Free Hit and made two runs. If that were not enough, the very ball of the Free Hit was also a No Ball! Thus, Jadeja got yet another Free Hit, and he didn’t miss that opportunity, and went straight for a six. The over proved very expensive for the KXIP with two No Balls, one six, and one four. 23 runs were made in the over, one of the highest ever!

The fourth wicket, which fell on the first ball of the 20th over, was that of Jadeja, who was dismissed by Irfan Pathan (catch Mahela Jayawardene). He made 33 runs off just 12 balls! Next person in was Abhishek Raut, and at the end of the innings, the RR total stood at 211 runs at the loss of four wickets.

The KXIP had a great total to make. Sunny Sohal and Karan Goel opened the innings. But the timing was just not right for the KXIP, and Sohal got out on the first ball of the innings on a ball by Amit Singh (catch Shane Warne).

While Kumara Sangakarra came in a one down, the second wicket followed on the heels of the first one, and Goel got out (ball Amit, catch Shane Harwood) after making only one run! Simon Katich came in next.

Warne, who is generally a fantastic fielder, dropped Sangakarra in the second over. The first four of the innings came as late as the fifth over!

The third wicket came in the form of Katich, who was bowled by Trivedi. The KXIP scoreboard now read 25-3. While Jayawardene came in after that, Sangakarra got out (ball Yusuf, stumping Ojha) after making 11 runs off 15 balls.

Skipper Yuvraj Singh was the next man in, and what was needed was that he build a good partnership with Jayawardene, but that was not to be, as the latter got out on a ball by Harwood, and was caught by Trivedi after he made nine runs off 11 balls.

The 11th over was interesting to watch because it started with Yusuf Pathan bowling to Irfan Pathan! But they didn’t face each other long, as, in the 12th over, Warne saw to it that Irfan was dismissed by way of a LBW. Irfan had made 19 runs off 17 balls. Piyush Chawla was next, but he didn’t last on the crease either, and Ramesh Powar soon took his place.

The final blow came when Yuvraj got out after making 48 runs, just two short of a half century, but, more importantly, his wicket sealed the fate of the KXIP, and, after 20 overs, their score, in spite of 19 extras, was 133-8.

The Man of the Match award was given to Graeme Smith for his fabulous innings.
By–   Rashida Shabbir Arsiwala
http://rasharsiblog.blogspot.com/