Monday, May 11, 2009

Random thoughts, observations and discussions about Indian Premier League

IPL-2 started with much hiccups, but finally started and is living upto the hype and expectations created. We all friends are happy when finally IPL season 2 started. At least something in the evening to do a nice time-pass.

Anwesha sighed the day IPL started! "My life is going to be hell for next 1.5 months".
Me and couple of friends reminded, "IPL is not the only thing. There are back to back sporting action starting from EPL, Champions league in football to F1, then ICC World 20-20 Cup and French Open and Wimbledon."
She looked devastated at our enthusiasm for sports.

"The worst thing about guys is they all like sports and nothing else, and they don't want to miss the damn advertisements too and the horrendous post match analysis.", she gave her innocent opinion.

I sympathized a bit. "What can you do. Guys are like that only. May be you should develop your habit in sports."

She retorted back. "I am not stopping anyone to watch the matches. I too watch. But why the hell the boring post match analysis? Why to hook on to it as if its the only source of entertainment".

I thought; well, its time we should respect her wishes. Not that I don't watch pre/post match analysis, but I don't like all analysis. But sometimes its tough to resist. Though I understood her agony by looking at her face conglomerated with anger, frustration and sadness.

Anyway, time went past and IPL went on and on. Controversies arose in Kolkata Knight Riders team. The fake IPL player blog made a big hit.

All teams except Kolkata played competitive cricket. Few matches went on with heroics of bowlers rather than batsmen. Extraordinary motivation, improvisation and stupendous cricket were observed for last few weeks.

Last years' bottom 2 teams Hyderabad (Deccan Chargers) and Bangalore (Royal Challengers) did well too. Though Bangalore team strive to retain their old position after the initial victory. All big names like Pieterson flopped big time and the team was kind of certain to retain its "Test team" pet name. But suddenly it started winning.

That day, match was still not over and none of us were believing that Bangalore will win.
I was telling, "Bangalore is competing hard with Kolkata, who can obtain the bottom most spot".

Suddenly Anwesha shouted with voice full of excitement (We had made her to watch the matches despite her reluctance to the core), "I support Bangalore, Bangalore will win today". We shouted, "What, have you gone mad my dear, even Bangalore team owners might not be thinking that". But voila, Bangalore won that day. I told her, "Mallya will send u a carton of beer for your support for Bangalore team.
"

But from that day, Bangalore had not done that bad. I made sure that Anwesha supports my favorite teams (Chennai and Mumbai, no particular reason about the teams, except I like M S Dhoni and S R Tendulkar) so that they qualify to Semis.

Its going on ok so far.

"Kolkata knows the art of losing", I told one day when Kolkata lost to Bangalore in last 2-3 overs to Ross Taylor. How can a team be so fragile and disoriented. I guess it is the most loosely knit team with lowest self confidence I have ever seen.

Just throwing big money or or funky advertisement is not sufficient to build a good team.

But finally, IPL-2 did entertain. Well, it obviously did not have the charm of IPL-1 since its in South Africa, but nevertheless, the IPL fever is on. Its a success, no doubt about that. I thank the organizers for bringing such an wonderful tournament.

The IPL fever is still growing and so also the agony of Anwesha. Though she is forced to watch and hear the analysis too. And I will make sure she reads this blog too. Not that she does not like sports, but excessive boring sports only she hate. But she is much better still bearing us :)

This much for today, will come back with more and also the opinions of Anwesha.

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