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Post by abhijacko on Sept 16, 2014 13:04:39 GMT -8
Preview: www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2014/content/story/781457.html
Big Picture
Eight pm prime time on Indian television, and two IPL teams clashing. Sounds straight out of the Indian summer. Only, this is the fag end of the southwest monsoon, and the Champions League T20 proper is kicking off after a qualification round which had no such marquee match: Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending IPL champions, against Chennai Super Kings, the multiple IPL winners, in Hyderabad, a regular IPL venue.
MS Dhoni went straight out of the World T20 into the IPL earlier in the year, and now he's flown straight into the Champions League after a long and hard tour of England. Given the kind of maddening schedule he faces, Dhoni likes to have the cocoon of stability around him. Super Kings' reputation as one of the most consistent T20 sides has been built on the stable combination they have fielded over the years. Which is why Dhoni was glad to have Dwayne Bravo back after the allrounder missed the IPL due to injury and upset the balance of the side, something the captain lays so much importance on.
Dhoni and Super Kings' powerful stability is a contrast to Gautam Gambhir and Knight Riders' explosive volatility. Gambhir began IPL 2014 with scores of 0, 0, 0 and 1 before reeling off three successive half-centuries. Knight Riders suffered two extreme embarrassments against Rajasthan Royals. They first converted a strong chase into a tie, and went on to lose in the Super Over. Barely a week later, they went from 121 for 0 to 123 for 6 in eight deliveries. That woke them up. They reeled off nine wins on the trot, including chasing 200 in the final.
How the opening match of the tournament plays out could depend on which version of Knight Riders turns up, and how Super Kings' attack, which was quite expensive in the IPL, is able to stand up.
Form guide
Kolkata Knight Riders: WWWWW (completed games, most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings: LWWLL
Watch out for
Faf du Plessis' last nine innings include three centuries, two nineties, and two fifties. Those scores may have come in ODIs and Tests on his home continent, but such a red-hot streak can make light of changes in formats and conditions.
In his only match so far for Knight Riders, Pat Cummins uprooted Dwayne Smith's off stump with a curling away swinger. It was only his second delivery in the IPL. With the injured Morne Morkel out of the tournament, Knight Riders will need Cummins' pace to unsettle batsmen.
Stats and trivia
• The head-to-head is 9-5 in favour of Super Kings
• Knight Riders' nine-successive wins are the most by an IPL side
• R Ashwin is two short of 150 T20 wickets
Quotes
"We don't get 10 days before the start of the tournament. It is usually pretty fast."
MS Dhoni says the Champions League T20 is not like the IPL
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Post by abhijacko on Sept 16, 2014 13:05:31 GMT -8
Is anyone really interested in CLT20 ? I personally think its a useless tournament that serves no purpose. But .. regardless .. go KKR  |
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Post by sikander on Sept 16, 2014 20:30:02 GMT -8
Shakib and morne morkel are not playing. Wishing good luck for kkr .
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Post by riverpanthera on Sept 16, 2014 21:02:14 GMT -8
I just realised, both the teams I'm supporting are Knights lol. (Northern Knights of New Zealand beign the other)
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Post by karan on Sept 16, 2014 23:03:18 GMT -8
Is anyone really interested in CLT20 ? I personally think its a useless tournament that serves no purpose. But .. regardless .. go KKR Pretty much. Never watched or followed it before but I'll probably watch a few games this time...Twenty 20 games, most of the time, are quite fun to watch. |
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Post by rajaryan on Sept 17, 2014 6:51:57 GMT -8
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Post by abhijacko on Sept 17, 2014 7:22:55 GMT -8
Narine is just exemplary .. brilliant
MSD comes to strike in a T20 game .. and has 3 men around the bat. Only possible when Narine is on
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Post by gangsta on Sept 17, 2014 7:40:41 GMT -8
I love the concept of the Champions League because of the level of competition compared to the IPL. As for the Indian crowds, it is an expected reaction. They are hardly ever appreciative of actual cricket, only Indian players. So, they should move this competition somewhere else really. Like RSA, Aus or NZ or somewhere. I hope KKR win this tournament, it would be a tremendous achievement.
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Post by abhijacko on Sept 17, 2014 8:08:18 GMT -8
I love the concept of the Champions League because of the level of competition compared to the IPL. As for the Indian crowds, it is an expected reaction. They are hardly ever appreciative of actual cricket, only Indian players. So, they should move this competition somewhere else really. Like RSA, Aus or NZ or somewhere. I hope KKR win this tournament, it would be a tremendous achievement. Disagree
Indian crowds in many stadia are actually very appreciative of players from all over the country, as well as of good cricket - unless its a team like Pakistan where the rivalry is fierce. Despite that, I remember players like Anwar, Akram being applauded at certain points in history for their cricket
And I agree. The concept is good. But it serves absolutely no purpose or meaning as far as cricket (international or domestic) is concerned.
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Post by gangsta on Sept 17, 2014 8:42:36 GMT -8
^ But the ones you mention are really exceptions. While I would expect a decent crowd to show up to watch two non-local teams play in Australia or RSA or even WI, it is apparent Indian, Sri Lankan crowds don't really care if their team is not playing.
What a poor start this is for KKR.
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Post by abhijacko on Sept 17, 2014 9:52:56 GMT -8
Quite a brilliant turnaround
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Post by rajaryan on Sept 17, 2014 9:53:06 GMT -8
kkr won the match thanks to russel and doeschate.never thought they will win the match at a time they were 51-5.
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Post by karan on Sept 17, 2014 10:13:21 GMT -8
Great win and comfortably in the end. Good to see Russel and Tendo, who didn't get much batting time in the IPL, being the stars. The side also seems to be more mentally resilient now, the old KKR would have been smashed after going 5 down. We were also missing Uthappa, Shakib and Morkel.
That makes it 10 wins in a row for KKR.
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Post by gangsta on Sept 17, 2014 10:35:01 GMT -8
Excellent win. Winning the Champions League would be a tremendous achievement.
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Post by shereen on Sept 17, 2014 11:39:01 GMT -8
Great win for KKR. CSK with a great start, still lost  |
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Post by riverpanthera on Sept 17, 2014 22:01:49 GMT -8
Great win, I'm really happy and the winning streak continues!
As for CLT20, I agree, the concept of the tournament is great, having top domestic sides of each country battle it out. The only problem is that it's so obviously in favour of the Indian domestic sides.
I mean the fact that teams like NZ, Pakistan, Sri Lanka have to play qualifers just to participate is a bit insulting, while India automatically gets 3 teams in main draw plus 4th has a chance through qualifiers. I understand atleast india getting a bit more due to population, but still every country should be allowed at least one team automatically not having to go through qualifiers.
Add to that Indian teams get all the big stars. So if an indian teams wins, I usually don't feel like it's much of an achievement, but if another country wins, then it feels worthy.
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Post by Dea on Sept 18, 2014 3:16:23 GMT -8
i didn't even know they were playing!! never heard of this CLt20 concept till now
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