One last hurrah. One final push in pursuit of glory. There is no time for anything else.
Here’s what we know for sure: the glamour teams of the Indian Premier League have lived up to expectation. The Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians have proved the class of 2013 and are peaking at the right time for the forthcoming playoffs.
We also know that for the first time since 2008 the Rajasthan Royals will compete in the post season and Australian all-rounder Shane Watson and veteran captain Rahul Dravid have been largely responsible for the their resurgence this year.
What we don’t know, and won’t know, until Saturday at the earliest, is the identity of the fourth and final playoff contender. Theoretically it is a three-horse race and it could mean the biggest star in the IPL will not be around for the grand finale.
Chris Gayle may miss the playoffs for the second straight year. Despite the huge influence of the big hitting Jamaican, the Royal Challengers Bangalore are in a dogfight which could go down to the final day. He has won games on his own but RCB has failed to capitalize in the bowling department.
Plenty of opponents will be happy to see the back of him. At his most destructive, Gayle is a human whirlwind, wreaking havoc and leaving a succession of traumatized bowlers in his wake. Remove him from the equation and all the survivors will fancy their chances.
However, the climax of the IPL season needs Gayle’s involvement. He is the league’s leading run scorer with nearly 700 runs to his credit and above all others, Gayle is the man fans want to see and some of the gloss will be taken off the playoffs if his team fails to qualify.
The Sunrisers are waiting to pounce. The new Hyderbad franchise has two home games to go, knowing back-to-back victories will be enough to leapfrog its Bangalore rival. The Sunrisers have won five out of six on home soil and will be in buoyant mood.
Left-hander Shikhar Dhawan, who has played only seven games this year after rehabbing from a broken hand, has left his mark nonetheless; while Dale Steyn, the fastest bowler in the IPL, is always a danger to visiting batsman.
If there was any doubt about the best finisher in IPL, the debate is over. M.S. Dhoni is a joy to watch – particularly when the pressure is on. His latest Player of the Match performance featured an unbeaten 58 from just 35 balls as he led Chennai to a comprehensive win over the Daredevils. Dhoni’s ability both in front and behind the stumps will be crucial once the playoffs get underway.
Kieron Pollard is another man who knows how to score quickly. The Trinidadian is not in the Chris Gayle class, but his match winning 66 off just 27 deliveries rescued Mumbai against the Sunrisers with a flurry of boundaries including eight sixes. More remarkable was the way Pollard sniffled his way through the post-game media conference complaining of flu-like symptoms. Who knows what he would have done had he been healthy!
Finally, the misery of the defending champions is complete. The Knight Riders were officially eliminated from playoff contention after losing to last placed Pune Warriors. The big talking point, though, surrounded the dismissal of Yusuf Pathan.
He was leading the Kolkata run chase when he scampered a quick single. In doing so he kicked the ball away, soccer style, from the fielding bowler and after review was given out for ‘obstructing the field’. Pathan was clearly angry at the decision but only he knows if his action was deliberate.
According to Pune coach Allan Donald there was “intent” on the part of the batsman, though the debate is likely to linger awhile.