IPL week 2 – The Carnival gets going!

It’s been 13 days of nonstop cricket carnival and each day better than the previous one. This week we witnessed some outstanding moments of cricket – brilliant exhibitions of power hitting, accurate bowling, heartbreaks, miracles, controversies. And the best thing is that we’re not even halfway over with the tournament!

So here’s a look at a few interesting things that happened in the IPL this week.

Is this cricket?

Munaf Patel has a few angry words for the umpire.

IPL witnessed this season’s first big controversy in the Mumbai Indians versus Deccan Chargers match. Kumar Sangakara was bowled off Munaf Patel but it wasn’t clear and the umpires ruled it not out thinking the ball had reflected onto the stumps from the wicketkeeper’s pad. However, when the replay was shown on the big screen Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel lost their cool and starting hounding the umpires to refer the decision to the third umpire, which under pressure Johan Cloete did and reversed his decision giving Sangakara out.

Many people were stunned by the outrageous behavior of two Indian international cricketers and their utter disrespect and disregard to the umpire’s decision begging the question if this is cricket. Unfortunately it was and the incident certainly did mar the game. Munaf Patel was docked his match fees but Kumar Sangakara, being the gentleman he is, agreed that he was out and that there was no bad blood. The match was a thriller with Rohit Sharma guiding his team to victory smashing a six of the very last ball.

Jumping Jack

Pictures speak a million words and this one certainly does. In the same match Dale Steyn managed to pull off a stunning caught and bowled. The umpire behind Steyn tried his best to evade the ball.

The over that changed defeat to victory

If there was ever a match that a team won from being well behind then it was certainly the Royal Challengers Bangalore versus Chennai Super Kings match that Chennai managed to win in the very last ball. Needing an improbable 43 runs from the last 12 balls, Albie Morkel blasted the 19^th over bowled by Virat Kohli for 28 runs. Chennai won a match they should have lost as they scampered home in the very last ball and Virat Kohli was reduced to the point of tears.

Here’s the video of the ruthless power hitting by Morkel.

Clash of the Indian Princes

The match between Pune Warriors India and Chennai Super Kings was eagerly awaited as it meant that India’s most successful skipper would battle against arguably India’s best captain. The prince of Calcutta and the boy from Ranchi met in a wonderful Pune stadium sparking endless debates all over the country which of the two greats was the better skipper for India. Ganguly’s Pune won the match putting end to the debates at least for the time being.

This week the IPL certainly got into 4^th gear with all the action and the coming weeks can only get better. IPL 2012 has certainly gotten off to a rocking start!

You might also like to read:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/15/changing-the-game-the-ipl-factor/

https://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/04/15/the-fuel-that-makes-the-ipl-go-boom/