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The Subroto Roy Sahara Stadium at Gahunje is an amazingly large one. The track is a batsman’s paradise – though Amit Mishra and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would disagree. Nevertheless, a rather interesting game was played out between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and perennial wooden-spooners Pune Warriors India. The way the home team performed left a lot to be desired. Here are some of the snapshots of this game:
1. Full team effort on display
KKR captain Gautam Gambhir mentioned in the last game that for his side to entertain hopes of making it to the play-offs, they would have to play smart cricket. The southpaw led by example as the Knights did precisely what he asked for. Although there was some lack of application from a couple of batsmen, the bowlers performed exactly as their skipper had hoped. It was heartening to see the Men in Purple & Gold play as a team – but it could be too little, too late.
2. Marsh Under-Bowled
Aaron Finch really needs to marshal his bowlers well. After compatriot Mitchell Marsh picked up 2 wickets for just 7 runs, he wasn’t brought back at the death. Obviously, the terrible experience of the last couple of games must have influenced Finch’s decision. Still, the young medium pacer did his job, though the team strategy was very weird.
3. Jacques Kallis – The angry old man
What is wrong with the on-field umpires? When a guy sticks out his leg to prevent a boundary and the ball deflects on to shatter the stumps, and the non-striker is well short of his crease, the decision has to go in favour of the fielding side. That didn’t happen in Kallis’s case. The veteran all-rounder was visibly annoyed and let the umpire have a piece of his mind before castling rival skipper Aaron Finch, the batsman who benefited from third-umpire’s decision earlier.
The way he glared at the poor official after the dismissal, you’d think he was the Ghost Rider using his Penance Stare. Doubtless, this was conduct unbecoming of an experienced player, but Kallis is only human after all. He is, for me, was KKR’s angry old man.
4. The Kashmiri lad on the field
The northernmost part of the country has finally a representative on the cricket field in IPL. All-rounder Parvez Rasool became the first player from the state to play in the IPL, and he turned in a creditable performance too. For once, J&K was in the news for the right reasons. Rasool marked the occasion by bowling economically and picking up the wicket of Kallis. It was a truly memorable debut, even though he ended up on the losing side.
KKR have done well to pick themselves up after a morale-shattering defeat at the Wankhede. Pune Warriors, on the other hand, have been broken into so many pieces, it would be exceedingly difficult for them to regroup and re-organise. It’s going to be an uphill task for both sides – Warriors to rebuild, Knights to win through to the playoffs. Game on!
