Please allow me to begin this column with heartfelt thanks to our armed forces and all those whose bravery and vigilance at the borders, as well as inside the country, let us sleep peacefully at night. No praise can be too high for these women and men who put their lives on the line for India. Let us try to be worthy Indians for them, who are putting their lives and their families’ lives at stake.
It is because of their swift retaliation that the IPL could restart with just a week’s play being lost. The BCCI engine room at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai swung into action and rescheduled the matches that were to be played on the days when the hostilities were ongoing, and a spanking new schedule was ready. Again, like those who guard our country, no praise can be too high for those at the headquarters of Indian cricket who work tirelessly under the radar to keep the game up and running, not just in the IPL but throughout the cricketing season. Whenever one bumps into these guys, there’s always a smile on their faces, even past the midnight hour after a late match finish. Just as the commentators may be the faces of the tournament, the real stars are all those who sit in their chairs, focused on their monitors and sound systems to get you the broadcast pictures that you see on your TV and handheld devices. While the commentators could be ensconced in their beds a couple of hours or so after the end of the match, most of these unseen and unsung real heroes are still at the venue trying to derig and get ready for the next venue.
With monsoons anxious to start early, the BCCI had to take some hard calls about the selection of venues. So, Hyderabad and Chennai missed out while Bengaluru, falling in the same orbit, got a couple of games, out of which the first was rained off. The Chennai supporters are on tenterhooks about the future of their ‘Thala’ and would have been happy if one game was allotted to them. Anyway, that will give them hope that they will get to see him again next season.
The Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans game was a thriller, with the current toppers of the league snatching a win off the last ball of the match. While the rains had halted the proceedings, conflicting reports were coming in on the last time for the fixture to be called off. Finally, when play resumed just before 12:30 in the morning with just one out of the two overs remaining to be bowled, Mumbai Indians, who were a bit tardy in bowling their overs, were also penalised with one less fielder beyond the 30-metre circle. That was a bit harsh, for if the game had not been interrupted by rain, they could have made up time in the 19th over and so had all five fielders outside the circle for the final over.
This penalty clause is very good, but perhaps needs a tweak in case a similar interruption happens. For example, if a team is a minute or so behind the required time and there are still six overs remaining, then the rains come in, play might restart with just one over left. This happened in the Mumbai vs Gujarat game. The penalty of having one less fielder is a stiff punishment in such cases. The bowling team had ample overs to make up for being a minute or so short of the required time. This penalty can make the difference between winning and losing. Hopefully, better cricketing minds than mine will come up with a solution or a reason to continue with the current penalty clause.
I end with sincere thanks to all the Indians all over the world who, despite differences — political, linguistic, ethnic or otherwise — have stood up wholeheartedly for our beloved motherland.
Jai Hind.