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Congratulations to Chennai on achieving victory over Mumbai to lift the IPL title for the first time. The perfect remedy for the side after losing out to Rajasthan in the final two years ago. Tendulkar top scored for Mumbai with 48 and had a great campaign but his team was simply not good enough to chase a fairly tame target of 168, largely thanks to the bowling of Shadab Jakati, who took 3-31 including the wicket of the little master.
This years tournament was one of the best and heralded some great play from some of cricket’s biggest names but also some of the smaller ones too. This is a topic we will look at later.
However, while all that was going on the in-fighting and rumours of corruption continued to swell round the corridors of power at the IPL headquarters. An emergency meeting of the board has now seen Lalit Modi suspended as chairman.
After the investigation of Lalit Modi, which included alleged franchise bid rigging and broadcasting rights irregularities, the whole integrity of the IPL has been put at stake. Something tells me that this thing is going to get bigger and far worse before it gets better. There is simply too much money at stake to allow it to be swept under the carpet and sponsors and T.V companies who have paid a lot money towards the competition will undoubtedly want answers. So will the general public both in India and overseas. And that is the problem. Too much money, too much glitz with a hint of politics thrown in and you have a recipe for disaster.
This scandal, now being dubbed ‘IPL gate’ by some, will be music to the ears of the cricketing purists who believe the IPL is a threat to the origins, history and mostly the traditions of the game. While most cricket fans want to see Test Cricket upheld. those fans will also want to see this scandal resolved and the integrity of the IPL restored so we can carry on enjoying what we have witnessed over the past three years.
Once again security issues are overshadowing what has been a fantastic IPL tournament. This time it is due to two small bombs exploding on Saturday outside Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is also set to host World Cup cricket matches early next year.
The blasts happened just before the match between Bangalore and Mumbai and saw 14 people injured and fans panicking and running for their lives.
Luckily none of the international sports bodies have altered their plans of touring India and the current IPL tournament is also still continuing. This in my opinion is the right thing to do, as the IPL and the world of cricket have to stand up to terrorism and show the terrorists that they cannot win. On the other hand, it is also a message to Modi and the rest of the IPL administrators, that security should always be kept at the forefront of their minds when organising or running such a high-profile tournament such as this.
There are still a handful of matches to go in this years IPL but Mumbai Indians are already scenting victory in the race for the title, mostly down to the heroics of one man.
Mumbai have opened up a four point lead in the title race thanks a great deal to the batting masterclass of ‘The Little Master”. Tendulkar has scored a mere 512 runs in just 11 games. Only Jacques Kallis has scored more, and only by a whisker. Whats more, Tendulkar has played one game less than his South African rival.
Tendulkar has a point to prove. Over recent years many have started to doubt his ability. Many say his hunger for the game, his hunger for runs which has for so long burned so brightly, has started to fade. On this season’s evidence, how wrong can they be. The Indian International has cut, pulled, stroked, smashed and blazed his way to 512 runs against some fierce opposition and quality bowlers to once more grace both the headlines and the hearts of the Indian public. Tendulkars fine 89 against Rajasthan was not only breathtaking but it was a lesson in compatriotism, in that fans from both franchises were cheering him on, proving that he is still the pride of India.
Of course the likes of Harbhajan, Malinga and Khan have bowled effortlessly but it is the bat of Tendulkar which strikes the most fear into the opposition. Mumbai are well on their way……
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