Sports
The 2019 IPL has been nothing short of the fun-filled extravaganza that everyone expected it to be. For the first time in the history of the IPL, a team with 12 points has reached the playoffs, and it wasn’t clear until the very last match of the league phase which teams would move on to the next stage. If that isn’t nail-biting drama, then what is? The second last match between Kings XI Punjab and CSK was extremely entertaining for the Mohali crowd who had come to see their team get a winning send off from this year’s IPL, despite the result being inconsequential for the visiting side. A great knock from KL Rahul ensured that his team chased down the required 171 runs and gave his team the result they were hoping for. The final match between the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders was a hugely important one with a lot riding on it. A win for KKR would have given them a berth in the playoffs and a win for MI would have seen them top the table. Chasing 134 runs, Rohit Sharma and his men ensured that they sealed that first position, in the meanwhile helping the Sunrisers Hyderabad reach the playoffs in 4th place above KKR on net run rate, despite being equal on 12 points. So we have Qualifier 1 being fought between Mumbai and Chennai, as the top two seeds. The winner will head straight to the final on May 12th, while the loser will get a chance to play in Qualifier 2 against the winner between Delhi and Hyderabad. How did the Mumbai Indians fare on their way to the top spot on the table? Well they didn’t get to best of starts in this IPL but they hit the right notes in the middle winning games continuously, before finishing strongly, especially with that 9-wicket mauling of KKR on the last day. Great performances from Pandya brothers with bat and bowl and also the West Indians Pollard and Joseph helped them win games at the right time. Despite Rohit Sharma’s troubles with the bat, Quinton de Kock had a marvelous season at the top of the order. Bowlers played a key role for the Indians, not allowing crucial runs at the death. Malinga and Bumrah bowled tightly and were supported equally well by spinner Rahul Chahar. Moving onto the Chennai Super Kings, the defending champions - despite being the first team to earn a playoff berth, their form towards the end of the league stage might be cause for conversation in their changing room. The team was ably led by captain of captains MS Dhoni, who masterfully led the team from the middle, with his decision-making, his quick glovework, and often in important moments with his bat. Like the Mumbai Indians, CSK’s bowlers played an important role in their progress. Harbhajan was in striking form, and Imran Tahir was devastating, landing second in the purple cap ranking with 21 wickets. Tuesday’s Qualifier 1 will be a fierce contest between these two teams, but if you look at the two previous meetings from this campaign, it seems like Mumbai has the upper hand after winning both matches. CSK will also have some questions to answer with regards to their lineup, especially after the injury to Kedar Jhadav. Whatever happens, it’s bound to be interesting. The Delhi Capitals are the only team in the playoffs to have never won the competition, though they will be riding a wave of confidence and momentum, after ending up on equal points as Mumbai and CSK. They’ve put in fantastic performances with both the bat and the ball, with Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw putting in some consistent knocks at the top of the order, supported well by captain Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. The Capitals’ bowling attack was spearheaded by purple cap leader Kagiso Rabada, who ended up with 25 wickets from his 12 matches. The capitals will miss his presence in this crucial stage of the tournament as he is back home in South Africa recovering from a back strain that ruled him out for the rest of the IPL, no doubt with thoughts of the imminent World Cup in mind. Sunrisers Hyderabad come into the playoffs on the back of a result that was out of their hands when Mumbai beat KKR. Their road to the playoffs was defined by a resurgent David Warner, who lead the league in runs, earning his orange cap with 692 runs. Warner and his exciting opening partner Jonny Bairstow have both returned to their national teams in preparation for the World Cup, which has severely affected their offensive power. Captain Kane Williamson will try to make up for the missing talent as much as possible but the depth of his team is a concern. The match between the Sunrisers and Capitals in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday will undoubtedly be exciting to watch, as the young Capitals side will look to ring in the change of their team name with continued success on the field. Hyderabad, on the other hand, are an experienced side when it comes to knockout matches, having reached the final in 2018, and won the tournament in 2016. But will their missing international players prove too much of a hurdle? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.