The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Pressure is on high-priced teams

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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Pressure is on high-priced teams

G. Viswanath

Mumbai: The DLF-IPL has been a staggering hit. The skirmish between Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Vijay Mallya’s Royal Challengers at the Eden Gardens on Thursday will be the 28th match of the tournament.

So far, so good. Since Brendon McCullum flayed the Royal Challengers’ bowlers, the tournament has produced some memorable feats with the bat and an extraordinary six for 14 by Pakistan’s left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir. The fielders have played their part as well.

What though has the potential to make the second phase of the IPL exciting is the approach of the teams placed in the lower half of the eight team field. The race to top four is already hotting up with Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals notching up five wins on the trot and all set to seize the opportunity to enter the knock out.

Shane Warne believes his team’s next two matches at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium against the Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils would give a clear picture. The Royals has played three at home and won as many.

Similarly, Yuvraj Singh would bank on the two matches at Mohali against the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals to clinch a place in the semifinals. The reverse against Mumbai at the D.Y. Patil Stadium ought not to be seen as a setback for Delhi; it has two home matches against the Chennai Super Kings and Deccan Chargers. Positive results in the home matches are almost certain to pave the way for Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils to enter the last four.

Herculean task

Pressure is building on Mumbai Indians, bought at $111.9 million, Royal Challengers Bangalore ($111.6 million), Deccan Chargers ($107.1 million) and Kolkata Knight Riders ($75.09 million) to make a powerful statement in the second phase. They will have to play out of their skins to cause a turnaround. Mumbai Indians’ second win against Delhi Daredevils has raised the expectations and should it outwit Warne on Wednesday, things may look brighter.

After being trounced by the Royals at Jaipur, Chennai Super Kings skipper M.S. Dhoni put things in perspective saying: “There will be ups and downs as the tournament advances to the third and fourth week. It’s too early to pick the top four.” However, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deccan Chargers face a Herculean task. As of now, it looks bleak.

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