Another insipid batting display from KKR, the lone star being the brilliant Brad Hodge who single handedly gave them a score to fight with. Gayle and Ganguly got some runs, but never looked fluent or at ease.
Hodge’s innings apart and a few strokes from van Wyk at the end, the other highlight was Sangakarra physically shoving Ganguly aside as he went for a pull and sent the ball skywards. Wonder if Sangakkara should have gone around the batsman to take the catch. Ganguly walked off in a huff, and it was not clear whether he was angry over his own mistimed shot or at Sangakarra.
Sangakarra’s own early exit raised hopes for KKR, but the fielding was to be a big let down as four opportunities went by and the worst culprit was Chris Gayle, dropping a catch he would have caught 99,999 and a half times out of 100,000!
Trust the best of the commentating bloomers to come from Dr. Ranjit Fernando!! Ishant Sharma came in for a new spell and Yuvraj hit his first ball straight into the hands of Brad Hodge, and off went Ranjit Fernando commenting that the crucial wicket of Simon Katich, who had been a thorn in the flesh, had gone!!! The batsman at the other end was Mahela Jayawardene, and it was quite hilarious seeing him mistake Yuvraj for someone who had already gone back to the dug out!!!! As is his won't he later sheepishly corrected the names. Wonder of wonder, how these guys get commentating assignments. All Ranjit Fernando does is to keep stating the obvious, hardly does any analysis or gives insights, and repeated parrots either “it is very important to get a good start” or “it is very crucial to get early wickets” or “they NEED a partnership now!”.
Drama ensued on the field as well, with Ishant mouthing off something making Yuvraj stop on his walk back to mouth back something angrily before walking off. A couple of days back Yuvraj was dishing out some words to Robin Uthappa after he got him during the course of his hat-trick. Good to give, but terrible to get something back!!! Do these ruffians never learn something inspite of having played so much cricket with the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble, Laxman? They probably opted to ape Dada perhaps, who looked sullen and gloomy on the field for most of the time.
16th over, Punjab 121 for 4, and the first ball had Umpire Asnani standing totally motionless, rock solid as Murali Karthik beat Mahela Jayawardene comprehensively in line with the stumps, ball headed for the middle stump! What seemed to be a straightforward decision was confirmed by the replays. Asnani is becoming a predictable umpire now for his errors.
18 in the last two overs needed by the Kings XI Punjab, and inspite of pathetic fielding and poor umpiring decision against them, KKR still were in the game with a slim chance.
“We are a happy family”, commented co-owner Ness Wadia to TV cameras on the sidelines as Priety Zinta did her usual hopping up and down in the speical boxes, and Ishant bowled an expensive 19th over, conceding two boundaries in the first 5 balls.
Just seven needed of the last over. It appeared that KKR had blown a good chance to win a game with poor fielding and a critical umpiring decision going against them in the 16th over.
Final over from Agarkar, the poor bloke who everyone seems to love to hate!
• First ball, a fielding fumble giving Pathan a comfortable run.
• Second ball bolwed very well, banged in short to a charging Jayawardene, no run! 6 needed from four balls.
• The third ball edged to the third man boundary and it was Saurav Ganguly making a mess of a stop at the boundary line! Two runs could have been saved but the boundary left just 2 off the last 3 balls.
• The fourth delivery a dot ball leaving two from two balls!!! If only Ganguly had stopped the ball from going over the ropes the previous ball!
• Single of the penultimate ball to Jayawardene, levelling scores! A dot ball needed for the Super Over.
• Pathan managed to get the last ball on his pads beyond the circle of fielders.
A decent over in the circumstances from Agarkar, and the fielding not backing up the bowler.
A well fought game, but their fielding let the KKRs to another harrowing loss! If only Ganguly had stopped the ball at the third man boundary!
The Man of the Match for this game should have gone to Umpire Asnani!
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