When the news first came out - the introduction of a new format for cricket – twenty-twenty, I wasn't excited. Actually, my reaction was similar to those of the likes of Javed Miandad. "T20 will spoil the game; it’s a commercial gimmick, another example of giving in to an instant, commercial, action craving world". I didn’t believe it would be taken seriously. I expected it to be a filler of sorts – casual cricket when there were no tests and ODIs. I remember seeing the T20 world cup ads on TV during the ‘07 world cup. I scorned at the whole affair. ` T20 world cup. Who’s gonna watch that? It’s an insult. Batsmen thrashing around like mad in a quick death manner. A game in which bowlers are reduced to organic bowling machines.’ It’s like those commercial breaks. Short and sweet…but not the real thing.
I kept true to my word and didn’t watch the T20 World Cup - Not the first few matches’ anyway. But soon the buzz word in hostel was T20. All people watched in the TV room was T20. Curiosity got the better of me.
I must admit that I enjoyed the blitzkrieg on the field. Yuvraj hitting 6 sixes in an over, and going on to score 50 in just 12 balls! How was I not supposed to enjoy that? And then India made it to the finals. That was enough reason to watch the finals anyway. And I enjoyed it. A tie, and then the tiebreaker...
But that didn’t last long. When ICL became the talk in the papers, I went back to my old self. I didn’t watch a single ICL game. Then came IPL. I wasn’t very amused. I was filled, yet again, with the snobbish feeling of being a higher being by endorsing only tests and ODIs. But two or more matches’ later people acquired a new lingo - chargers and kings and daredevils!!! What was that? I didn’t even know the teams. Friends told me how superb the past matches were. That was it! Not again...this time I'm watching the whole thing. Who do I support? Ignoring the usual favourites I chose Punjab Kings XI - Shaun marsh more than impressed me. The match against the Delhi Daredevils which Punjab went on to win (by DL) was another match that got me hooked to the Punjab Kings XI. Jayawardene's batting in that match convinced me, T20 was more than just wild hitting.
But something, much bigger, shocking, made me take notice. The match between the Kolkata Kinghtriders and Punjab Kings XI. Punjab put up a reasonably imposing target of 174 (the highest ever IPL score on that ground). Kolkata came into bat with a required run rate of over 8.5, yet right till the 15th over they hardly scored over 8 runs an over, with the most expensive over yielding only 11 runs. At the end of 15 overs they needed 71 runs - to be made in 30 balls. That was an asking rate of over 14 per over - and they were 5 wickets down. By the middle of the 15th over they lost their 6th wicket - and they still needed 69 runs of 27 balls. All their main batsmen, save Ganguly were out. Ganguly himself was just at 45, hitting just 2 sixes in the innings.
A team has lost all its strike batsmen save the one who’s been at the centre for 75% of the match, scoring just 45. They need more than 70 runs in less than 5 overs, with an asking rate of more than 15. Statistics, logic, past performances - nothing but a wild dream would suggest a victory for the Knightriders from that point. How does a team make 70 runs in 30 balls with just 4 wickets remaining?
A very unexpected candidate showed just how. In came Umar Gul. The guy hit two sixes of the last two balls. Those were some massive shots. But they still needed 57 runs in 24 balls. Ganguly was on strike. And something happened. He literally went nuts. A six, then a four, then a six. At then end of the over they needed 39 of 18 - my throat ached..this cant be happening. I mean…the guy was so indolent till just one over back... but I was optimistic. `A few more shots like that would cost them a wicket - not what they need at this stage’.. I expected them to slow down.. I was wrong...in the next over, Gul hits a four and a six. And to make things more painful, they got 4 leg byes - the ball clipping the pad and missing the wicket keeper..this was frustrating.. they got away with that many times in the innings. At the end of the 18th over they needed 23 runs of 12 balls.. the match was no more one sided. In the 19th over, Punjab did get their wicket as expected.. Gul was caught out in an attempt to continue with his massacre. But Ganguly was still there...Ganguly smartly avoided running of the last ball to take strike in the final over. Final over - 15 in 6 balls..can they do it? They did it! with 2 balls to spare.. a six, a double and then a six...
Kolkata actually won the match!!! In retrospect you can always say, its Ganguly..he's great in the last overs..or whatever...but it still hard to digest.. If a team can win a match from a stage were they need over 14 runs an over with 4 wickets remaing...anything can happen. T20 is indeed unpredictive (in a broad sense - yes)
And you know what? Bowlers do play a big role in this game. True thou it may be that an economy of 8 is considered normal and an economy of 6.5 “outstanding”. But the bowlers have proved that the game is more than batsmen being arrogant and reckless. Bowlers have being fooling around with the batsmen all through the tournament – slow deliveries, change in pace… and they've had their share of success. And if they make a slight mistake, they’re punished. What results is some fine bowling. Either it’s a great delivery, or it’s a great shot (sometimes both).
I don’t know why ICC brought in the new format. Was it the money or the popularity? Well, I really don’t care. I’m not a fanatic. I watch cricket because I enjoy the game. Change is never pleasant. So at first, the idea of a new format is unwelcome. But I’ve begun to like the format. Why? Because it’s unpredictable. One over can change the game. Every bowl is filled with suspense – will it be a six, or a wicket, will the ball carry to the boundary or will it be caught? Can the batsmen take the second run, or will the fielder make a direct hit onto the wicket….You can’t say. You’ve got to wait and watch (It doesn’t take that long…it happens very fast) You can’t proclaim a winner even if uve got great experience and what not. And it’s short. It’s sweet..It’s exciting, it’s tense..
As some people say “Commercial breaks are the best part of TV” (no double meanings intended ;))
I do look forward to the ODIs now. As a good friend pointed out.. the ODIs are going to get a lot more exciting.
Friday, May 30, 2008
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