IPL Semi Final Roads
Most of the cricketing experts of the country and even the common cricket follower citizens were considering and rating Jaipur’s Rajasthan Royals [JRR] as one of the weakest team of the IPL at the start of the tournament, surely they will say this is the glorious uncertainty of the game that this Halla Bol squad become the first team to qualify for the semis.
There was nothing wrong with consideration as none of the blasting names like Sachin, sourav, shewag, Dhoni, Yuvraj, Sanath, Symonds, Eshant Sharma, Shoaib Akhtar, Bret Lee and so on was associated with JRR, In fact this is the only team which was unable to find a suitable Indian player from the selective chunk to lead the team and was depending on retired Shane Warne for the purpose.
Besides this our Indian attitude of looking at things and happening with specific economic vision was also responsible for this view towards the JRR by the critics and masses. We Indians have a tendency of establishing a relationship between price and quality, more we pay more we become assured of quality and surely the JRR is the team of players with lower remuneration.
I recall early days or rather the days before the actual start of the tournament, when all the eight teams have finalized their player, my son was discussing about the winner of the tournament. He was not just surprised but eventually was shocked to hear name of JRR from me. As like the most of Indians, three best teams for him were the Kolkatta Knight Riders, Delhi Dare Devils and Mumbai Indians. I was supporting the JRR from the day one just because to me T-20 is the place of exhibiting all round skills and Halla bol squad is composed from many players having this ability. Most of the players included in JRR’s Halla Bol squad have to prove worth of their playing skills from this or that point of view and this attitude was going to make them the most competitive and dangerous team of the tournament.
Individual efforts are the key to team success but surely the clubbed one and not the isolated. Look at the highest run scorer of the tournament, Gautam Gambhir, baring the last match, middle order of Delhi team failed on whatever chances they got and as the result Delhi team is left with option of praying God for the semifinal birth. At the time of writing of this, JRR and Kings XI have qualified and three other teams
Delhi with 15 points from all 14 matches
Chennai 14 points from 13 matches and
Mumbai 12 points from the 12 matches are beetling out for the remaining two semis slots. Eventually Delhi team is on the mercy of performance of rest of two teams. Chennai will go under the “Do or Die” status when tomorrow they will took ground against Hyderabad but before they need to keep a hawk-eye on the match of Mumbai with JRR as defeat in that match for Mumbai will not only almost block the entrance of Mumbai in last four but also bring a respire of relief for the Chennai as their win tomorrow will change the point table to
Chennai 16 points from 14 matches
Delhi 15 points from 14 matches
Mumbai 12 points from 14 matches
If the Chennai and Mumbai both loose their, these matches Delhi will qualify as the third semifinalist and forth one will be decided only after the match of Mumbai and Bangalore. Here Mumbai will under tremendous pressure as they will have to play not just for a win but also need to take care of over all run rates.
All these if’s and but’s will be going to get answer in next 72 odd hours but one thing is sure, last league match of the tournament between Kings XI and JRR, is going to prove the real thriller as both the team are already qualified so they will battled out just for the pride. Once again the Kings will be forced to face the music of Halla Bol.
Most of the cricketing experts of the country and even the common cricket follower citizens were considering and rating Jaipur’s Rajasthan Royals [JRR] as one of the weakest team of the IPL at the start of the tournament, surely they will say this is the glorious uncertainty of the game that this Halla Bol squad become the first team to qualify for the semis.
There was nothing wrong with consideration as none of the blasting names like Sachin, sourav, shewag, Dhoni, Yuvraj, Sanath, Symonds, Eshant Sharma, Shoaib Akhtar, Bret Lee and so on was associated with JRR, In fact this is the only team which was unable to find a suitable Indian player from the selective chunk to lead the team and was depending on retired Shane Warne for the purpose.
Besides this our Indian attitude of looking at things and happening with specific economic vision was also responsible for this view towards the JRR by the critics and masses. We Indians have a tendency of establishing a relationship between price and quality, more we pay more we become assured of quality and surely the JRR is the team of players with lower remuneration.
I recall early days or rather the days before the actual start of the tournament, when all the eight teams have finalized their player, my son was discussing about the winner of the tournament. He was not just surprised but eventually was shocked to hear name of JRR from me. As like the most of Indians, three best teams for him were the Kolkatta Knight Riders, Delhi Dare Devils and Mumbai Indians. I was supporting the JRR from the day one just because to me T-20 is the place of exhibiting all round skills and Halla bol squad is composed from many players having this ability. Most of the players included in JRR’s Halla Bol squad have to prove worth of their playing skills from this or that point of view and this attitude was going to make them the most competitive and dangerous team of the tournament.
Individual efforts are the key to team success but surely the clubbed one and not the isolated. Look at the highest run scorer of the tournament, Gautam Gambhir, baring the last match, middle order of Delhi team failed on whatever chances they got and as the result Delhi team is left with option of praying God for the semifinal birth. At the time of writing of this, JRR and Kings XI have qualified and three other teams
Delhi with 15 points from all 14 matches
Chennai 14 points from 13 matches and
Mumbai 12 points from the 12 matches are beetling out for the remaining two semis slots. Eventually Delhi team is on the mercy of performance of rest of two teams. Chennai will go under the “Do or Die” status when tomorrow they will took ground against Hyderabad but before they need to keep a hawk-eye on the match of Mumbai with JRR as defeat in that match for Mumbai will not only almost block the entrance of Mumbai in last four but also bring a respire of relief for the Chennai as their win tomorrow will change the point table to
Chennai 16 points from 14 matches
Delhi 15 points from 14 matches
Mumbai 12 points from 14 matches
If the Chennai and Mumbai both loose their, these matches Delhi will qualify as the third semifinalist and forth one will be decided only after the match of Mumbai and Bangalore. Here Mumbai will under tremendous pressure as they will have to play not just for a win but also need to take care of over all run rates.
All these if’s and but’s will be going to get answer in next 72 odd hours but one thing is sure, last league match of the tournament between Kings XI and JRR, is going to prove the real thriller as both the team are already qualified so they will battled out just for the pride. Once again the Kings will be forced to face the music of Halla Bol.
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