From the iSport Cricket Paddock: iSporter Hirok Banerjee pens his thoughts on the recent KKR loss. Their chances of making it into the semi finals seem 50-50. Will they?
If the Knights finally do not make it to the semi-finals, it would be a tale of two what-ifs. And ironically enough both involve Murali Kartik, KKR's best bowler of this IPL. And unfortunately, in both cases, Murali had pivotal moments which could have swung two matches KKR's way.
The first one was against Mumbai when he dropped Sachin off his own bowling with about 87 odd still required and the second one was against Punjab when Jayawardene was batting on 51. In both cases Sachin and Mahela remained unbeaten and guided their teams to facile victories and in both cases, Murali dropped a sitter. One feels a trifle sorry for Gayle and Ganguly. After a brilliant opening stand of 54 in the first six, Gayle played a blinder justifying his status as one of the most devastating batsmen in T20, propelling the Knights to an apparently safe and defendable 200.
In terms of batting display, it could not have been better. Except maybe from the 7th over to the 10th when only 16 runs were scored. Yet, 200 was a sound score. The batsmen cannot be faulted.As in the last IPL, KKR's performance with the ball has been abysmal. If 200 cannot be defended, then a team looks vulnerable batting first since they have no idea how much would be enough. Each and every bowler, with the exception of Bond, to an extent were taken to the cleaners. Sangakkara, Mahela and Yuvraj played brilliant cricket.
The opportunity presented itself and it was at that moment when Kartik floored a sitter at short third-man. With 95 still to get, it would not have been easy for the Kings. The fielding was patchy and the bowling lacked sting. Ganguly will seriously think of playing Shukla or Dinda again. The alternatives have so far been much worse than them.With this loss, KKR looks at an odious task of needing to win 4 out of the last 5 matches to book a semi-final berth. Considering that they play Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Rajasthan, this, if not impossible, looks grave and bleak.
This loss will hurt. Unlike others, where they were outplayed this was a match which Ganguly must have felt comfortable after the first hour and a half. Little did he realize that what Gayle can do, Mahela can better!
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