Thursday, May 15, 2008

RACE

No this is not about the recently released Bollywood movie.

It's about the RACE to the Indian Premier League Semi Finals.

All the upcoming IPL matches are cruical and their results will have an impact on the shape up of the Final Four.

Realistically the RACE is between KKR, DDD, and MIs for the 4th place.

But for the dreamers, DC and RCB still stand a chance if they win all their remaining 5 matches and the other results go in their favour.

I don't remember such a gruelling RACE to the semis since the 1992 World Cup. (The ICC definitely have something to think about - make the World Cups more interesting!)

Like the Kiwis in 1992, only the Rajhastan Royals have a sure shot Final Four slot in hand as of now. Coincidentally I talked about how RR was a clone of New Zealand in my Clones post.

So who is going to win this RACE to the Final Four?

Besides RR, KXI is the only team who should be confident of making it. They are a strong unit and Shaun Marsh is probably in the form of his life and the slap has done Sreesanth a lot of good.

However, more than 1 team has lost 4 matches on the trot, and a similar run could catch them short.

CSK have had an up and down tournament. Won 4, Lost 3, Won 2, Lost 1. They're sitting pretty at 3 but the MIs and KKR are on a roll and if both of them are to win the RACE, CSK will be the one missing out.

KKR are at 4 right now. But the position is not theirs. DDD and MIs are close on their heels and the next 4 days could change the look of the table drastically.

Today: DDD vs DC
Tomorrow: KKR vs MI (BIG MATCH)
Saturday: DDD vs KXI
Sunday: KKR vs CSK

Anything could happen. For all we know, KKR, DDD, and MI could all be in the Final Four with KXI and CSK packing their bags.

There doesn't seem to be any hope for DC or RCB but then again, there wasn't any for Pakistan either in 1992.

The RACE is on and we don't know whose winning it. Do you?

Make your pitch on this post...



Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


15 Pitched:

  1. straight point said...
     

    the race is surely on...the tournament is wide open...those who were running atop in beginning are already heaving for deep breath...and those who were goner are marching ahead...

    its like knockout stage now and we will surely see urgency in teams approach...

    all in all great spectacle for us...

  2. Viswanathan said...
     

    Yes I do know that CSK is going to win.

    I see you have become afflicted with a strong North Indian bias. :)

  3. Q said...
     

    Ott, honestly i dont have the slightest idea about India's geogpraphy :-)

  4. Q said...
     

    SP - definitely a spectacle!

  5. Robin said...
     

    Yeah.. Surely we are in for a thriller regarding the four semifinal berths.. and I am sure the run rates would come to play for deciding the spots..

    My prediction : Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab

  6. Anonymous said...
     

    The DC are done,they should start preparing for their fishing trip.

    It was an exciting match Afridi finally managed to score some runs,Asif proved to be too expensive,although he was unlucky in his first over, Gilchrist was dropped and a few outside edges flew to the boundary.But he is a new ball bowler and when he cannot get the swing he is too easy to pick on, he does not have an accurate yorker mostly he bowls low full tosses.He needs to work on his yorker.

  7. Anonymous said...
     

    KKR V MI is for sure a big match and might decide the fate of both these teams for the rest of the tournament.

    KKR should boost up their batting a little, they should rest Taibu and play Hafeez instead,Whatever Taibu is doing Hafeez can also do its just that Hafeez can bowl also.

    MI are favorites to win the match, KKR's batting is too fragile.

  8. Gaurav Sethi said...
     

    every day a team dies, a team's born again.

    appeared 3D last won in an earlier edition of the ipl. and with another 15 runs of the last over, only small mercy was that Malik or Sehwag were not bowling. A spinner rather than a makeshift slow bowler could be the diff - and for once, Sehwag bowled Mishra's full quota.

  9. Q said...
     

    Robin, I think so too. I think apart from the top 2, the rest wud be decided on net run rates. Adds to the thrill of watching the last 15 days or so.

  10. Q said...
     

    Wasim - I was disappointed with Asif last night. What was he doing bowling of 2 steps? And what is the strap all about? I cant see how he can be comfortable in that thing.

  11. Q said...
     

    "every day a team dies, a team's born again"

    NC, I believe that sums up the IPL!!

  12. Q said...
     

    Its BIG ONE today - KKR vs MI! Should be a cracker.

    Wasim, the MI batting is also fragile. They have a top heavy reliance with Sachin, Jayasuriya and Uthappa. No one but Pollock after that.

    While KKR will have Butt, Ganguly, Hussey, Saha/Shukla.

    Evenly matched in the batting. And KKRs bowling is stronger.

    Shud be a great one.

  13. Anonymous said...
     

    KKR has included Hafeez in their line up,I got my wish, its a good move now hope Hafeez lives up to the expectations.

    Q MI batting some how looks better than KKR, but you are right they have a heavy top order, and if Shoaib got an early break through they will be in trouble.

  14. Q said...
     

    I feel KKR's batting line up is stronger as I mention in the comments of the above post.

    Lets c how it goes. Will be a good match.

    btw, 1st team to play 3 pakis :-)

  15. Q said...
     

    S Rajesh tells us why this RACE is even more interesting than I've mentioned:

    http://content-gulf.cricinfo.com/ipl/content/current/story/351448.html

Post a Comment