After the interminable group stages, IPL 2012 livened up for an entertaining climax in Chennai between the home side and Kolkata Knight Riders. Even an avowed T20-sceptic like me couldn't help be gripped by the final ten overs of the match, with the outcome swaying like a pendulum every few balls.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, MS Dhoni opted to bat first and it looked the right decision. Whilst the pitch had seen plenty of runs early on, Chennai Super Kings looked in command from the start. Birthday boy Mike Hussey and a resurgent Murali Vijay flayed poor Brett Lee but it was the Indian opener who fell first, mistiming a slog to a diving Shakib. In came Suresh Raina to up the scoring rate still further. Hussey was tiring visibly and was relieved to see the runs coming in boundaries, because it was too energy-sapping running singles, let alone twos. Having been happy to watch Raina's innings from the other end, the Aussie eventually missed a straight one from Jacques Kallis, on 54. Dhoni struck two fours from his nine balls and his partner perished to a last ball swish to deep mid-wicket having made 73 from 38 deliveries. Good bowlers like Kallis, Lee, Pathan, Shakib and Sunil Narine had each bowled some good balls but had also been thumped around the ground.
Facing a target of 191 under the lights, surely CSK had it in the bag. When KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir missed Ben Hilfenhaus' slower ball in the first over, the yellow-clad fans must have been supremely confident. However, 'keeper Manvinder Bisla, preferred in place of Brendan McCullum, had other ideas. Supported by the peerless Kallis, he played the innings of his career. They shared a partnership of 136 and, more importantly, kept themselves ahead of the asking rate, before Bisla mistimed a slow short ball from Albie Morkel.
Kallis then assumed control, striking some impressive boundaries. At the other end, Shukla and Pathan fell cheaply, but Kallis was clearly wilting in the heat. A quick run left him suffering from cramp and unsurprisingly he didn't last very long after that, slicing a full toss to cover for an excellent 69. His departure left KKR needing 16 from seven balls and the home fans were preparing for victory. Nevertheless, Shakib and Tiwary are useful men to bat at six and seven.
Excitement rose to fever pitch the next ball when Vijay caught Shakib only to be recalled for the most marginal of 'high' no-balls. They had run two and then from the extra delivery, Shakib scooped to the fine leg boundary. Fortune had swung back in KKR's favour, and they needed just nine from the last over, bowled by Dwayne Bravo, who had taken vital wickets for CSK, but at a price.
With their lengthy consultations about field placings, Dhoni and Bravo seemed intent on boring the batsmen into submission. Don't know why they bothered because Bravo's third and fourth balls were gifts for Tiwary who smacked each for leg-side boundaries, sealing the victory and the first IPL trophy for KKR. Now it was the fans in purple doing the cheering, and deservedly so.
I don't think many could begrudge Gambhir the title. He always looks so grim and deserved the chance to smile for once! Similarly few - apart maybe from Chris Gayle - could complain about the Player of the Tournament award to Sunil Narine. Morne Morkel may have taken more wickets, but the young undemonstrative Trinidadian showed that his Champions League economic performances were no flash in the pan. He was good value for his huge IPL auction fee and how I would like to see him ply his trade in first-class cricket. With his high, Kumble-like delivery arm, there's no reason why he couldn't become a valuable member of the West Indies Test side. Sammy needs him at least as much as Gayle right now.
It wasn't a great IPL for Tendulkar, Dravid or Ganguly, whose time has surely come to retire for good. However, the evergreen Hussey and Kallis proved that class is permanent, and Dale Steyn's pace and guile are more than a match for any opponent in any format. Malinga became less effective as the competition wore on. Maybe it's not just the twenty-four balls he has to bowl every few days; I guess it's hot work fielding out there in India, too. The IPL organisers must be relieved that the tournament has been a success in the full grounds, with KKR breaking their duck, too.
