Published: Oct 10, 2011, 10:54 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 02:25 AM (IST)
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Mumbai Indians pulled off something extraordinary to emerge supreme in the Champions League T20 (CLT20). That Mumbai Indians achieved the triumph in the absence of several key players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Munaf Patel and by turning the tables on a powerful and upbeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) should be very satisfying.
T20 cricket continues to spring surprises with unfancied teams emerging as champions – India in 2007 at the ICC T20 World Cup, Rajasthan Royals in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2011, Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009 and now Mumbai Indians at the CLT20 2011. The uncertain and unpredictable nature of the shortest format continues to offer thrills galore.
In the course of the CLT20 2011, there have been quite a few hits and misses which have captured the attention of viewers from all around the world. The hits have entertained us to a point of amazement, but the misses have been disappointing and surprising. Nevertheless they have been crucial in the shaping of this tournament as they have determined the fate of the teams that participated in the league.
This article features some of the hits we witnessed in the 2011 edition:
The player who stood out was Lasith Malinga, whose yorkers and idiosyncratic action are well documented. But his crucial performances with the bat have added a new dimension to his game. In the first game, Mumbai Indians seemed to have lost steam until Malinga walked in and wielded his willow fearlessly against the Chennai bowlers. When Mumbai were in trouble against Trinidad and Tobago, he hit a crucial six which turned the equation in their favor. Despite his new-found talent, Malinga continued to dominate with the ball and bowled crucial spells which took Mumbai to victory. Without any doubts he deserved the Man of the Series Award.
The South Australia-Royal Challengers Bangalore will stand out as the match of the tournament. South Australia bludgeoned the RCB bowling as Daniel Harris helped himself to a hundred. When the RCB chase started, people would have linked Gayle’s success to RCB’s chances but Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virat Kohli joined the party. In the late overs, the home side lost a heap of wickets, But when Arun Kartik smashed the six required off the last ball, he revived memories of Javed Miandad’s epic last-ball six off Chetan Sharma at Sharjah.
From an Indian fan’s point of view, the thing that would satisfy them the most is Virat Kohli’s approach to batting and Harbhajan Singh’s strong performance on being dropped. Kohli has played some crucial knocks for RCB. What has been impressive is his ability to get the boundaries without making it look as if he was taking a risk. These are signs of a fantastic player who can serve India well in the years to come not just in one-day or Test cricket but also the shortest format.
The axe that fell on Harbhajan may have just triggered his comeback to top gear. He was very difficult to get away in all the games but his spell in the final ensured Mumbai’s victory. The wicket of Gayle would have given him a lot of confidence as the West Indian is known for his ability to blast off at any given point in time. The “Turbanator” needs put in such performances more consistently to force his way back into the national set-up.
David Warner, the Australian pocket dynamite, was an absolute revelation as he showed good technique and ability on the slow subcontinental tracks. The two hundreds he scored were absolutely amazing as he showed good application on the slow tracks and also managed to maintain a good strike-rate. This is a player who is destined to serve Australian cricket for years to come. It is just a matter of when the Australian selectors realize his true potential.
Chris Gayle has been his usual destructive self as he has hit almost every bowler that has come his way. Some of the sixes he hit were the flattest one would ever see. The ones which were long would have made a javelin player proud. Unfortunately for Bangalore, he couldn’t deliver in the final but they proved throughout the tournament that they are more than just unit that is dependent on the West Indian.
Trinidad and Tobago’s fighting spirit have captured hearts of everybody following the tournament. They lost two close games but came back to pick two wins which kept them in contention for a semi-final berth. Kieron Pollard’s and Dwayne Bravo’s absence didn’t affect them as they continued to play their own fearless brand of cricket.
The English county, Somerset’s performance was very encouraging. They played some aggressive cricket and showed good temperament to finish off T20 games. Peter Trego and Roeluf van der Merwe’s performances with the bat were entertaining and they also ensured their victories. They looked like a very well balanced side even in the absence of their seasoned opener Marcus Trescothick.
Apart from these hits, there were quite a few performances which caught the imagination of fans. Ravi Rampaul continued his good form into the tournament, but it wasn’t a surprise as he has been consistently performing for West Indies this year.
Kolkata Knight Rider’s two consecutive victories renewed their hopes of qualification as they looked a completely different side in those games.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya, a 21-year-old law student, is a club and college-level cricketer. His teachers always complain, “He knows the stats and facts of cricket more than the subjects we teach him.”)
