I didn't really think I would write about a T20 match (ok - writing about a T20 match is better than writing about an ODI), but yesterday's T20 match between India and Bangladesh was quite nail-biting in the way that only T20 matches can be.
Bangladesh reached 166 in 20 overs - thanks to a flourish in the last over (I guess 18 runs came off that over) and India began chasing 167 explosively. 24 in 2 overs, then India started losing wickets, the pitch slowed down, yet India were in the hunt. The required run rate was always in the vicinity of 8 and Ro 'HIT MAN' Sharma was batting. Suddenly Rohit got out, the other batsmen were struggling and India needed 34 of 18 balls. Still looked achievable as Manish Pandey was batting. I was flipping through channels and suddenly when I got back to the match, the scenario was 34 needed in 12!
This is how my ball-by-ball reactions were for these last 12 deliveries:
1. 34 needed off 12, Karthik comes in " Damn, how did India get to this. OK, wait, the Fizz bowled a wicket maiden!! In the 18th over! How could India let him do that? Ok, what will Karthik do now? No chance he can do that - Robel Hassan's bowling" Wham! DK hit a 6!
2. 28 off 11 - " Hmmm. That 6 might have been a fluke. DK is gonna get out now! India will lose" Wham! That's a boundary!! " Ok, looks like we are gonna go down with a fight"
3. 24 off 10 -"Maybe another 6? Maybe not!" Wham! "DK has really outdone himself!"
4. 18 off 9 -" better that DK hits 3 sixes and finished this off. No way we can repeat this in the 20th over! Damn! Dot ball?? Now?? ok. Let's see the next one"
5. 18 off 8 - "Let is be a six ...or a four...whatever, no single please. Ok, that's better, 2 runs. 16 to win then"
6. 16 off 7 - "Six! Six! Six.....Four! Ok, I thought Karthik believed in that Kotak line - why take 4 when 6 is more....anyway, 12 off the last over. Doable?"
7. 12 off 6 -" Oh damn! Shankar on strike!! Man, get the hell out of there. Just take a single and give strike.....no no, don't get run-out you idiot! Ok, keeper missed and all looks well. We got a free run , thanks to the wide"
8. 11 off 6 - " One more free delivery, maybe a no ball from Soumya Sarkar won't hurt! Anyway, that bugger Shankar had better take a single instead of acting like a hero...and Oh! WTF! dot ball?"
9. 11 off 5 -" Come on Shankar, single..single...Yesss! DK on strike"
10. 10 of 4 - " One six now ....then maybe they can take two 2's and keep some interest till last ball.....six..six....six...ONE! Why did DK take that single? He should have refused to run!"
11. 9 off 3 -"Shankar, for heaven's sake take a single. DK is in form. He will score 8 off 2...just give him strike." Bam! "Wow! Shankar hit a 4!"
12. 5 off 2 - " Lets finish this boys, lets finish this. One six and it should be done. Well played Bangladesh and all that - that Shakib is a real strategist...ok, Shankar, lets finish this" Wham! Up she goes." Oh! This won't carry - wait , wait - 2 fielders underneath it. They will drop it for sure! Ha!This has jumped from the fielders hands...what..wait, relay catch? Shankar is out! They should ban relay catches. Has DK crossed over?
13. 5 off 1 - " Has DK crossed over? even the Hindi commentators don't know! Wait is that him at the non-strikers end? Washington Sundar facing the last ball? We are goners...wait, DK is on strike. Ok, maybe we can have a tie...maybe something else....." Wham! A really flat shot" Six! Six! India has won! Whew - how the hell did DK pull it off! I wonder!
Bangladesh reached 166 in 20 overs - thanks to a flourish in the last over (I guess 18 runs came off that over) and India began chasing 167 explosively. 24 in 2 overs, then India started losing wickets, the pitch slowed down, yet India were in the hunt. The required run rate was always in the vicinity of 8 and Ro 'HIT MAN' Sharma was batting. Suddenly Rohit got out, the other batsmen were struggling and India needed 34 of 18 balls. Still looked achievable as Manish Pandey was batting. I was flipping through channels and suddenly when I got back to the match, the scenario was 34 needed in 12!
This is how my ball-by-ball reactions were for these last 12 deliveries:
1. 34 needed off 12, Karthik comes in " Damn, how did India get to this. OK, wait, the Fizz bowled a wicket maiden!! In the 18th over! How could India let him do that? Ok, what will Karthik do now? No chance he can do that - Robel Hassan's bowling" Wham! DK hit a 6!
2. 28 off 11 - " Hmmm. That 6 might have been a fluke. DK is gonna get out now! India will lose" Wham! That's a boundary!! " Ok, looks like we are gonna go down with a fight"
3. 24 off 10 -"Maybe another 6? Maybe not!" Wham! "DK has really outdone himself!"
4. 18 off 9 -" better that DK hits 3 sixes and finished this off. No way we can repeat this in the 20th over! Damn! Dot ball?? Now?? ok. Let's see the next one"
5. 18 off 8 - "Let is be a six ...or a four...whatever, no single please. Ok, that's better, 2 runs. 16 to win then"
6. 16 off 7 - "Six! Six! Six.....Four! Ok, I thought Karthik believed in that Kotak line - why take 4 when 6 is more....anyway, 12 off the last over. Doable?"
7. 12 off 6 -" Oh damn! Shankar on strike!! Man, get the hell out of there. Just take a single and give strike.....no no, don't get run-out you idiot! Ok, keeper missed and all looks well. We got a free run , thanks to the wide"
8. 11 off 6 - " One more free delivery, maybe a no ball from Soumya Sarkar won't hurt! Anyway, that bugger Shankar had better take a single instead of acting like a hero...and Oh! WTF! dot ball?"
9. 11 off 5 -" Come on Shankar, single..single...Yesss! DK on strike"
10. 10 of 4 - " One six now ....then maybe they can take two 2's and keep some interest till last ball.....six..six....six...ONE! Why did DK take that single? He should have refused to run!"
11. 9 off 3 -"Shankar, for heaven's sake take a single. DK is in form. He will score 8 off 2...just give him strike." Bam! "Wow! Shankar hit a 4!"
12. 5 off 2 - " Lets finish this boys, lets finish this. One six and it should be done. Well played Bangladesh and all that - that Shakib is a real strategist...ok, Shankar, lets finish this" Wham! Up she goes." Oh! This won't carry - wait , wait - 2 fielders underneath it. They will drop it for sure! Ha!This has jumped from the fielders hands...what..wait, relay catch? Shankar is out! They should ban relay catches. Has DK crossed over?
13. 5 off 1 - " Has DK crossed over? even the Hindi commentators don't know! Wait is that him at the non-strikers end? Washington Sundar facing the last ball? We are goners...wait, DK is on strike. Ok, maybe we can have a tie...maybe something else....." Wham! A really flat shot" Six! Six! India has won! Whew - how the hell did DK pull it off! I wonder!
No comments:
Post a Comment