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Why The World Needs Sam Curran: Calm, Charismatic, Courageous

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said someone not named Albert Einstein.

In the world of cricket, there is one player who follows this advice closely—Sam Curran. Commonly known by commentators around the world as Sam “Makes Things Happen” Curran, when results are not going England’s way, you can always find Curran around the corner—trying new things and rescuing England time and again.

In the first T20I against South Africa, he bowled a match-winning spell of 3-28 along with a crucial 7*(3) finishing punch. Another game, and yet another important contribution from Sam Curran.

He is given this title for a reason—the lad never gives up hope. And this is exactly why he is one of my favorite players in the current cricket circuit.

Ask him to salvage Test matches in the lower order? Can do. Ask him to sit out for the Andersons and the Broad? No problem sir. Operate as a swing bowler, death bowler, gun fielder, opener, pinch-hitter, finisher?

Yep, been there. Done that.

Also Read: Sam Curran IPL Predictions, Unlucky cricketers (feat Simon Jones)

The Stats

The sample size in ODIs/T20Is is relatively small with 5/7 games respectively with uninspiring numbers of combined 39 runs and 14 wickets. Hence, we will only focus on his Tests and T20 stats.

Batting

Tests: 19 matches, 728 runs, best of 78, average 26.96, 3-50s
T20s: 85 matches, 1032 runs, best of 55*, average 19.47, 130.79 SR, 5-50s

Bowling

Tests: 19 matches, 41 wickets, 32.12 average, Best Match – 5/92, 2-4 fors
T20s: 85 matches, 79 wickets, 29.16 average, Best – 4/11, 2-4 fors

The numbers are not that spectacular, are they? Yet, numbers do not paint the whole picture. It his impact that is palpable.

My First Memory of Sam Curran

I am not sure I have ever seen a more sparkling introduction to Test cricket in recent memory.

India lost the 5-match series 4-1 although the series was closer than the score line suggested. Were India ever out of the series like 2011? No, but just whenever England seemed to lose their way, Sam came into the picture.

It all started in the first test at Edgbaston, which was the second Test for Curran.

In the first innings, from 6-224, he dragged England to 287 with a valiant 24(98). Next innings, he pulled England from 6-85 to 180 with an attacking 63 (103). In between, 3 wickets in space of 8 balls at Edgbaston to reduce India from 50-0 to 59-3.

He played a couple of other knocks like 78 (136) at Southampton, a few 40s here and there, and took important wickets.

Not the highest scorer, nor the highest wicket taker, but impactful nevertheless. Ending up winning England’s Man of the Series award and was deservedly, one of the breakout stars of 2018.

What Can We Learn From Sam Curran?

Since that Test debut, he has not got too many opportunities. With a bowling line up of Broad-Anderson-Woakes in Tests and Archer-Rashid-Jordan in limited overs, it is hard to find consistent opportunities. Heck, he even has to compete with his brother Tom for a spot.

Yet, as the South Africa match showed, whatever opportunities he gets, he makes the most out of it. Recently, in the IPL, he was one of the young stars for CSK amidst a dismal campaign. He bowled at the death, opened the innings, and finished a game or two as well.

So what can we learn from him?

The Lessons

  1. Quick Learner: Give him a new role, he will take a game or two to adjust and then you see immediate results. Good skill to have for a job application.
  2. Keep Curiosity Alive: There is never an age to stop learning. Ask questions, keep on learning.
  3. Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Literally strike that out. As a rule of thumb, master two trades and the rest is bonus. Having a primary and a secondary skill is crucial in today’s day and age. Then, you can go and become the jack of the rest of the trades.
  4. Be ready: Being Sam Curran may not always be easy. You are never guaranteed a game. Your role is not defined clearly. It does not matter. When your time comes, give it your all.
  5. Courage: When things are not going your way, keep on trying new things even if it may be risky. Volunteer for the pinch-hitter opener role. Pitch the ball up hoping for some swing. How about a slow cutter with a risk of getting hit?

As one of my good friends said,

If you ain’t dying, you ain’t living.

So take risks once in a while. It is going to be okay. Try new things, but never give up.

The Legacy

Currently we can see the impact these utility players have. India’s two games against Australia exposed a problem – a sixth bowling option. None of India’s batsman bowl and none of their bowlers bat.

Yes – the Pandyas, the Cummins, the Ben Stokes – are all necessary for a team’s success, but having one all-rounder only may not be enough.

This English limited over team is built of giants – Roy, Bairstow, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Archer, Rashid, and Stokes. Their legacy is forever etched in record books and cricketing legend.

Without their star power, England could not have won the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Yet, the world also needs the Liam Plunketts, the Moeen Alis, the Joe Denlies, and most definitely the Sam Currans. Whatever the team requires of them, they adapt and deliver. With a smile and without a grudge.

He has a long career ahead of him. The stats will improve. We can just sit back and enjoy Sam Curran’s presence—conquering the world one game at a time—calm, courageous, and charismatic.

Also Read: 10 Life Lessons from IPL, Cricket’s Reflections of Passion

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Image Courtesy: “Never Ever Give Up” – Geralt Pixabay

Preview: Mighty West Indies Cricket vs Depleted New Zealand

What do you think of when you hear ‘New Zealand vs West Indies’ cricket T20I series? Big hitting, run-fests, and of course, Super Overs.

New Zealand have featured in SEVEN Super Overs, six in T20I – losing all seven of them, and the first two against the mighty West Indies.

Where did it all start? The first super over was a thriller between West Indies and New Zealand, back in the day with Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum.

Anyway, we cannot wait for this series to get underway! Here is my preview for the New Zealand vs West Indies T20 series. Read till the end for my prediction!

Who do you think will be the winner? The suprise package? Comment below!

Also Read: Eng vs SA T20I Series Preview, Ind vs Aus ODI Series Preview, Series Predictions – Twitter Edition

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The Batting

WI: Star-Studded T20 line up the highlight

  • Shimron Hetmyer-Pooran-Pollard-Powell-Fabian Allen form a spectacular middle-order. Watch out for Pooran, one of the most exciting talents in the world right now and definitely for West Indies cricket.
  • Captaincy seems to have pushed Pollard to another level. At the IPL – 268 runs at a strike rate of 191.42 and CPL – 207 runs at 204.95, he is coming in with dangerous form. What more? Pollard was a key member of TKR and MI teams, this year’s winner at the CPL and IPL respectively
  • Andre Fletcher-Brandon King might be the new opening combination of the WI. Relatively inexperienced pair, but explosive nevertheless

NZ: Inexperience with a Williamson-sized hole

  • Kane Williamson is sitting out of the T20s to prepare for the Test series. As seen in the IPL, he is valuable in any position, and hence, NZ will miss him dearly
  • If one of Guptill-Seifert-Phillips come to the party, New Zealand might be able to put competitive scores
  • The finishing prowess is a concern. Santner and Neesham have finishing pedigree but lack of game time in the IPL and only Taylor/Mitchell may hurt NZ

The Bowling

WI: Death Bowling the Weakness for West Indies

  • The swinging conditions early on might aid Cottrell against NZ’s heavy top order
  • Hayden Walsh Jr. vs Ross Taylor will be a key battle to watch out for
  • Death bowling options? Keemo Paul, Kesrick Williams, Oshane Thomas? All decent but not yet convincing

NZ: A Boult-Size Hole In the Bowling Department

  • Trent Boult rested after a successful IPL, including a match-winning performance in the final
  • All eyes will be on Lockie Ferguson and the new kid on the block – Kyle Jamieson
  • Ish Sodhi has been decent for New Zealand without ever going to greater heights – can he make a mark in this series?

The Broken Dream

WI: The Russell Muscle Question

  • Andre Russell, injuries, and lack of communication – same old story. Does he still have a future with West Indies cricket especially with the T20 World Cups on the horizon?
  • Lendl Simmons has played some of the most memorable innings but is still in-and-out of the squad. He is not in the squad for the T20 series.
  • End of the road for Chris Gayle’s West Indies career?

NZ: Southee & Taylor – valuable experience or liability?

  • Ross Taylor, one of the most underrated ODI batsmen of the century, but his T20 record is subpar. How many T20 caps can he add to his 100?
  • Tim Southee, the limited overs bowler, has not lived up to his potential since his 7-33 in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He has even been at the wrong end of Super Overs. Can T20 captaincy bring back the spark?

Prediction

Verdict: 2-1 West Indies

A depleted New Zealand team will still be hard to beat at home, but given the batting depth of the West Indies, I am giving the edge to West Indies 2-1.

Add to that, the West Indians have been coming from a successful IPL tournament, while the Kiwis, barring Boult (who is not playing this series), had nothing to show.

Who do you think will triumph in this contest? Comment below and let us know!

My Starting XI:

These are my starting XI for the first T20I (assuming everyone is available in terms of COVID and injuries).

WI:

Andre Fletcher, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Rovman Powell, Kieron Pollard*, Fabian Allen, Keemo Paul, Hayden Walsh Jr., Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell

NZ:

Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (WK), Glenn Phillips, Ross Taylor, Daryll Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee*, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi

*captain

The Squads

These are the other options in the squads.

WI: Kyle Mayers, Romario Shepherd

*Note: New Zealand has 2 squads – first 2 T20Is, and 3rd T20I.

NZ: Hamish Bennett, Devon Conway

3rd T20I: Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Scott Kuggeleijn in (Ferguson, Taylor, Southee out – Santer will captain)

Image Courtesy: Westpact Cricket Stadium – Paladisious, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Preview: Ind V Aus – Closer Than It Appears

India (Ind) vs Australia (Aus) — a rivalry of sorts in recent times, especially in ODIs. It is 2020. Times have changed. Looked at ODI rankings recently?

Australia – #3, Zimbabwe – #4, Ireland – #5

Not kidding. This is the points table for the ODI Super league leading up to the 2023 ODI World Cup. The league was just getting underway before COVID hit.

Now, the proceedings finally restart. India vs Australia at Sydney on November 27th for a good-ole classic ODI match, India’s first in the ODI league.

My prediction for the series: India 2, Australia 1. Read till the end to see why. Let us know who you think will win in the comments section below!

Also Read: Eng vs SA T20I Series Preview, Series Predictions – Twitter Edition

The Batting

Ind: Batting Has Depth But No Flexibility

  • Dhawan, KL Rahul, Kohli, Iyer, Pandey, Agarwal, Samson, and even Hardik Pandya (with back injury) – none of the top 6 bowl
  • Rohit Sharma is one of the ODI players of the decade, but is out with an injury from the IPL. How much will this batting line-up miss him?
  • With the #4 dilemma India suffered prior to the 2019 World Cup semi-final, it may be wise to move KL Rahul to #4 and open with the in-form Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill

Aus: Batting Has Too Much Flexibility

  • With Finch-Warner-Labuschagne-Smith, the top four is pretty solid and settled
  • The concern is the flexibility in the middle order – Stoinis, Carey, Maxwell and maybe even Moises Henriques/Cameron Green. Carey & Maxwell coming from disaster IPLs and Stoinis in the middle order is a hit and miss (fluid line-ups do not work much – look at KKR from the IPL)
  • Out-of-the-box: Move Stoinis up to open, drop Labuschagne, and play with 3 all-rounders/power-hitters?
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The Bowling

Ind: Kul-cha Holds the Key to India’s Success

  • Kuldeep Yadav has had a horrid year or so with the ball, but in the large Australian grounds, the Kuldeep-Chahal partnership needs to be revived
  • If Pandya does not bowl, should India drop a batsman and play Shardul Thakur as another bowling option/slogger down the order?
  • Shami’s opening spells and Bumrah’s death bowling will be key

Aus: 5th Bowling Option the Only Issue

  • Watch out for Hazlewood. I have a feeling his miserly line-and-length bowling will set the tone for the series
  • With Starc-Hazlewood-Cummins the fast bowling is set and with Zampa getting into rhythm, this looks like a stable core
  • 1 out of Stoinis + Henriques/Green + Maxwell/Labuschagne will complete the bowling, which is the only concern in this line-up

The Broken Dream

Ind: Manish Pandey and Sanju Samson

  • India vs Australia ODI at Sydney 2016 – Manish Pandey’s 104* takes his team home in the chase of 331. 4 years down the line, still has not nailed a spot (feat inconsistency and selection mismanagement). Can he find a spot in the XI?
  • Sanju Samson has always lit up the IPL and is finally getting some chances in the international fold. With KL Rahul almost certainly taking the gloves, can India find a space for him as an X-factor or will he end up as another Indian unlucky cricketer?

Aus: The New Kids on the Block

  • Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, and Labuschagne in ODIs are great prospects for the future, and it remains to be seen if their long-term future will be secure
  • Matthew Wade made a marvelous comeback after toiling in domestic cricket for a while. With Carey’s struggle of late, Wade may get a chance. Who knows, at 32, this might be his final try in ODI cricket

Prediction

Verdict: 2-1 India

This series will be closer than it appears. Australia at home with this bowling attack and an envious top 4, Australia are the clear favorites.

If India can find that final lower-order firepower and exploit Australia’s 5th bowling option, we might be in for a close one.

I think Australia will win the first one, but India will bounce back with two on the trot to win the series.

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My Starting XI:

These are my starting XI for the first ODI (assuming everyone is available in terms of COVID and injuries).

Ind:

Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli*, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav

Aus:

Aaron Finch*, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Moises Henriques/ Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa

*captain

The Squads

These are the other options in the squads.

Ind: Manish Pandey, Navdeep Saini, Sanju Samson (WK), Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur

Aus: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Daniel Sams, Glenn Maxwell, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (WK)

Image Courtesy: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) – Marc Dalmulder from Hamlyn Terrace, Australia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Preview: Eng vs SA – Why SA Will Sweep 3-0

November 27th, the big day is finally here—England (Eng) vs South Africa (SA), India vs Australia, and New Zealand vs West Indies.

We will start by previewing the England vs South Africa 3-match T20I series. This series has been in the news for ominous reasons—Cricket South Africa’s administrative troubles, mixed BLM’s messages, and COVID positive cases. Now that the series is finally on, let us focus on the cricket.

My prediction for the series: South Africa 3, England 0. Read till the end to see why.

Let us know who you think will win in the comments section below!

Also Read: India vs Australia ODI Series Preview, Series Predictions – Twitter Edition

The Batting

Eng: Too Many Options!!

  • England’s limited overs batting has so much depth they are currently practicing with Team Morgan vs Team Buttler. Eyeing the T20 World Cup, experimentation will be the focus before settling down
  • How many openers can they fit in? Bairstow, Roy, Buttler, and now even Stokes (Banton did not even make the T20I squad)
  • Dawid Malan will hold key given his stellar recent form – 16 matches, average of 48.71, 146.66 strike rate, with the best of 103*

SA: Solid Line Up But Finishers Needed

  • De Kock and Faf are in good touch as seen in the IPL. With Miller, Van der Dussen, Bavuma, and Klassen, they have a good mix of experience and youth
  • SA will definitely be steady, but can they need their power hitters and finishers come to the party. (The old Killer Miller, please come back)
  • Consistency will be key with this line-up. If their batsmen fire in the first match, they will be dangerous to watch for the rest of the series.
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The Bowling

Eng: Good composition but expensive death bowling

  • Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Chris Jordan are almost a certainty, but who else? Mark Wood? Wickets vs Economy – that is the question.
  • All-rounders will be key. If Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, and Ben Stokes make the XI and are fit enough to bowl, the balance will be handy
  • The Currans make things happen but only one might make the XI

SA: Bowlers for the Win

  • If Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje can repeat their heroics from the IPL, they will be a handful
  • Phelukwayo will be hold the key to South Africa’s success as the key all-rounder in the side
  • Shamsi’s destructive spin in the middle overs give SA the edge

The Broken Dream

Eng: Joe Root and Moeen Ali

  • Moeen Ali has committed to all formats in the final leg of his career but how many chances does he have left in him?
  • Joe Root is massively underrated in T20 cricket. His contributions in the 2016 T20 World Cup were monumental, but he has been selected only for the ODI side, not the T20 side.
  • Will Reece Topley make a comeback?

SA: Is Dale Steyn’s international career over?

  • After having a poor IPL, it seems that Dale Steyn’s international career has finally come to an end.
  • Will Janneman Malan get to showcase his talent?

Prediction

Previous Battle

Last time England toured South Africa in February 2020 (pre-COVID times), it was a close 2-1 contest in England’s favor. The margins of victory?

  • SA won by 1 run, Eng won by 2 runs, and Eng won with 5 balls to spare.
  • The scores? 177 vs 176, 204 vs 202, 222 vs 226

If this series is going to be anywhere close, it is going to be a cracker of a contest!

Verdict: 0-3 South Africa

England definitely have better resources and will be a threat at the T20 World Cup next year, but 3-match series might not be enough time to find a settled line up. South Africa at home with a clearer batting line up and in-form bowling attack can spring a surprise.

I think South Africa will spice things up and win 3-0 due to the momentum if they start on a good note.

By the time the ODI series gets around, England will have an edge. Whatever ends up happening, this is a series that is going to have high-scoring close contests.

My Starting XI:

These are my starting XI for the first T20I (assuming everyone is available in terms of COVID and injuries).

Eng:

Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (WK), Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan*, Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan

SA:

Quinton de Kock * (WK), Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, Rassie Van der Dussen, Heinrich Klassen, David Miller, Andile Phelukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

*captain

The Squads

These are the other options in the squads.

Eng: Tom Curran, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

SA: Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Simpala, JJ Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Pite von Biljon, Kyle Verreynne

Image Courtesy: Newlands, Cape Town – PaddyBriggs at English Wikipedia Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Cricket Predictions: Can You Do Better?

We are back at it – Cricket Predictions!

The IPL hangover is finally over. The T20 season is coming to a close with the IPL, PSL, and now the WBBL approaching its end. The IPL had a predictable ending with Mumbai Indians winning again, introduced us to some new faces, and most importantly, taught us beautiful life lessons.

It was great fun while it lasted, but the last week has been slow and agonizing without any international cricket.

BUT the wait is finally over! Now, we will have proper cricket. Tests, ODI, T20 Internationals. Six countries will be playing on the same day.

India vs Australia, New Zealand vs West Indies, England vs South Africa.

November 27, Remember the Date.

The Rules

With the IPL, we did a pre-IPL prediction and post-IPL prediction results. It was a really fun exercise, and so we are doing it again!

Here are the upcoming series:

  • #IndvAus: 3 ODI, 3 T20I, 4 Tests
  • #NZvWI: 3 T20I, 2 Tests
  • #EngvSA: 3 T20I, 3 ODI

We asked the Twitter crowd these questions with #SeriesPredictions:

  • #Scoreline
  • #MVP
  • #MostRuns
  • #MostWickets  
  • #EmergingPlayer 
  • #SurprisePackage

Note, we will focus on the Test series for the IndvAus and NZvWI series, but look at limited overs combined for the EngvSA series.

And guess was, there are no rules! You can do the predictions as you wish – for 1 series or all 3! Just have fun!

So who do you think we will emerge as the winner? Who will be the surprise package? Reece Topley, Kyle Jamieson? Pucovski and Green? Who will win the battle of the off-spinners, R Ashwin vs Nathan Lyon?

So many questions, so little time.

So without further ado, here are mine:

My Predictions

IndvAusNZvWIEngvSA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 1-2 (T20I), 1-1 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)0-3 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
#MVPHanuma Vihari (Ind), Labuschagne (Aus)Trent Boult (NZ), Roston Chase (WI)Moeen Ali (Eng), Van der Dussen (SA)
#MostRunsAjinkya RahaneRoss TaylorQuinton de Kock
#MostWicketsHazlewoodTrent Boult-Jason Holder (tied)Anrich Nortje
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiJoshua De SilvaLiam Livingstone
#SurprisePackageAshwinKyle JamiesonSam Curran?

The Prediction

Here are the responses we received from my Twitter post. Enjoy!

1. Jimmy Ciego
  • #ENGvSA: 2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
2. The Hundred Report
  • #IndvAus: 1-2 (ODI). 2-1 (T20), 1-2 (Tests)
  • #NZvWI: 2-1 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)
  • #SAvEng: 2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
  • “I love mighty Mo – I think this will be last chance saloon for him sadly so fingers crossed he makes an impact”
3. TheCricketMen
  • #IndvAus: 1-2 (ODI). 2-1 (T20I), 1-3 (Tests)
  • #NZvWI: 2-1 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)
  • #SAvEng: 2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
4. Rohan Gulavani (Ind-Aus)
  • #Scoreline: 2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 0-3 (Tests)
  • #MVP: Mayank (India), Warner (Aus)
  • #MostRuns: Warner
  • #MostWickets: Lyon
  • #EmergingPlayer: Pucovski/Green
  • #SurprisePackage: Green/Vihari
5. Ansh Sharma
Ind-AusNZ-WI
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)
#MVPBumrah(Ind), Labuschagne (Aus)Trent Boult (NZ), Jason Holder (WI)
#MostRunsMarnus LabuschagneKane Williamson
#MostWicketsPat CumminsTrent Boult
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiTom Blundell
#SurprisePackageMayank AgarwalKyle Jamieson
6. Aayush Mahajan
Ind-AusEng-SA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 1-3 (Tests)2-1(T20I), 1-2(ODI)
#MVPMayank Agarwal (Ind), Smith (Aus)Sam Curran (Eng), Faf du Plessis (SA)
#MostRunsSteven SmithQuinton de Kock
#MostWicketsCumminsKagiso Rabadda
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiLiam Livingstone
#SurprisePackageAshwinHeinrich Klassen

Here is the winner from last time, Vandit! Can lightning strike twice? I guess we will find out…

7. Vandit (IndvAus)
Ind-AusNZ-WIEngvSA
#Scoreline1-2 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 1-3 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)3-0 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
#MVPMayank Agarwal (Ind), Josh Hazlewood(Aus)Trent Boult (NZ), Kemar Roach (WI)Jason Roy (Eng), Anrich Nortje (SA)
#MostRunsSteven SmithKane WilliamsonJason Roy
#MostWicketsJosh HazlewoodTrent BoultMark Wood
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiChemar HolderJanneman Malan
#SurprisePackageJoe BurnsShamarh BrooksSam Billings
8. In-depth Football and Cricket
Ind-AusNZ-WIEngvSA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 1-3 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (T20I)
#MVPPujara (Ind), Labuschagne (Aus)Watling (NZ), Holder (WI)Morgan (Eng), Quinton de Kock (SA)
#MostRunsSmithKane WilliamsonQuinton de Kock
#MostWicketsCumminsWagnerAdil Rashid
#EmergingPlayerCameron GreenWill YoungGeorge Linde
#SurprisePackageSirajJamiesonSam Curran

9. Mohd Shamir Ansari

IndvAusNZvWIEngvSA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 1-2 (T20I), 2-1, 1 Draw (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 1-2 (ODI)
#MVPKL Rahul (Ind), Travis Head (Aus)Colin de Grandhomme (NZ) , Jason Holder (WI)Jason Roy (Eng), Andile Phehlukwayo (SA)
#MostRuns*KL RahulHenry NichollsFaf du Plessis
#MostWicketsJasprit BumrahNeil WagnerKagiso Rabada
#EmergingPlayerMohammed SirajShimron HetmyerReece Topley
#SurprisePackageJoe BurnsTom LathamJJ Smuts
*Rohit Sharma was the first choice but Sharma has been ruled out for the first 2 Tests
10. Rahul Kumar
Ind-AusNZ-WIEng-SA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 1-2 (T20I), 1-2 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)0-3 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
#MVPBumrah(Ind), Labuschagne (Aus)Williamson (NZ), Holder (WI)Morgan(Eng), Rabada (SA)
#MostRunsWarner/RahaneRoss TaylorFaf/Jos
#MostWicketsHazlewoodTrent BoultArcher
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiJamiesonJ Malan
#SurprisePackageMayank/RahulChemar HolderNortje
11. JustCricket
Ind-AusNZ-WIEng-SA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 1-2 (T20I), 1-2 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 1-2 (ODI)
#MVPBumrah(Ind), Cummins(Aus)HolderRashid (Eng), QDK (SA)
#MostRunsSteve SmithWilliamsonQDK
#MostWicketsLyonBoultRabada
#EmergingPlayerCam GreenJamiesonJanneman Malan
#SurprisePackageCam GreenBrooksJanneman Malan
12. Pratyush
Ind-AusNZ-WIEng-SA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 1-2 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)3-0 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
#MVPVihari (Ind), Labuschagne (Aus)Wagner (NZ), Chase (WI)Morgan (Eng), Van der Dussen (SA)
#MostRunsPujaraWilliamsonQuinton de Kock
#MostWicketsCumminsWagnerArcher
#EmergingPlayerWill PucovskiJoshua De SilvaVerreynne
#SurprisePackageGillWill YoungSam Curran
13. Crazy Anand
Ind-AusNZ-WIEng-SA
#Scoreline2-1 (ODI), 2-1 (T20I), 1-1 (Tests)1-2 (T20I), 2-0 (Tests)2-1 (T20I), 2-1 (ODI)
#MVPMayank Agarwal (Ind), Marnus Labuschagne (Aus)CDG (NZ) Roston Chase (WI)Chris Woakes (Eng), Rassie Van der Dussen (SA)
#MostRunsMarnus LabuschagneRoss TaylorQDK
#MostWicketsPat CumminsNeil WagnerRabada
#EmergingPlayerPucovskiJoshua De SilvaLiam Livingstone
#SurprisePackageRahul, GillKyle JamiesonSam Curran

The Opinions

We also had some interesting discussions, opinions, and even some warnings.

1. Arnab Bhattacharyya

Everyone has been dismissing India’s chance in the BG Trophy – Test series . I have a feeling we will do well there , provided all of them stay injury free. We are a better team in the white ball format , so winning them wont be a surprise .

2. Rohan Gulavani

I feel first Test in Adelaide may be over in less than 4 days..

  1. Both sides playing a test after long time..rustiness..
  2. India has not played DN test except Kolkata one
  3. Both side have quality bowlers. Evening sessions could be very productive for bowlers..

3. Johnny

For #SAvEng I just hope they get on the pitch. If they do, England probably win both 2-1. They don’t seem to be taking ODIs that seriously right now which could give SA a chance but most of them have had either a decent IPL or a good rest so will be ready to go…

4. Scripurient

In terms of #IndvAus, t will be very,very competitive as is the case usually with the two sides. In terms of the scoreline, I reckon its:-

  • T20s:- 2-1 (Ind) ODIs:- 1-2 (Aus) Tests:- 1-2 (1 drawn) – Aus

Tough to predict though, very tough!

For #EngvSA, well, first they need to get over natural obstacles (rain)

If all matches do commence as plan, my predictions are:- T20s:- 2-1 (could potentially be 3-0 if Eng plays a full-strength team) ODIs:- 2-1 Both in favor of England.

5. TheRedCherry:

ODIs: India to win 2-1 T20I’s: Aussies to win 2-1 Tests: 2-1 for Aussies…

ENG vs SA: T20I’S – 2-1 ODIs – 3-0 (both in favour of England)

6. Sabeeha Majid responds:

3-0?? Give us a shot at least. We did beat the aussies 3-0

Interesting conversation this….

7. Sehrish

Some interesting predictions but I believe ENGvSA will be the closest one. 3-0 seems way too off, 2-1, quite possible.

8. Aayush Mahajan

NZvWI tough to predict due to unpredictable nature of the Windies

Conclusion

In any case, I hope this prediction game is just as fun for you, as it is for me!

Let us hope for competitive and enthralling matches, uninterrupted and safe few months, and most of all, sportsmanship displays and moments to cherish.

Enjoy, and keep on coming with the predictions if you have not already. I will be keeping track.

Comment below, join us for free updates below, and share with your friends!

Image Courtesy: Steve SmithNAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The IPL 2020 Chapter Closes

The IPL 2020 chapter has finally closed. Memories were abundant in this year’s Indian Premier League and Women’s T20 Challenge.

From the diving efforts of Trinidad’s Nicholas Pooran and Thai’s Natthakan Chantam  to Tewatia’s incredulous display and Mandhana’s stylish gameplay, we have had it all. To spice it up, there was also an incredible weekend of Super Overs and close finishes.

This IPL was full of ebbs and flows, highs and lows. It even taught us numerous life lessons.

But, how did it all end? An anti-climax, I would say.

Recap

Last time we checked in, the points table had turned upside down. Over the last weekend, every team except for CSK were still in the running.

Ultimately, net run rate came into play with SRH and RCB edging out KKR and KXIP to make it in the Top 4. The Playoffs ended up being one sided and once again, Mumbai Indians lifted the trophy, who were a class apart.

The Women’s T20 Challenge showcased women’s talent but once again, still no women’s IPL?

Also Read: Week 1-2 IPL Diary, Week 3 Recap, Moments that Turned the Table, CSK’s Struggles

How Did We Get Here?

If you missed any day in the last couple of weeks, do not worry. We will fill you in.

Using our Twitter Diary, we recorded the most unfortunate or interesting events of the day through #BCDoftheDay or #BrokenCricketDreamoftheDay.

Some additional features were #ClassActoftheDay, #UniverseBossoftheDay, #SamCurranoftheDay, #FieldingEffortoftheDay, and #RedemptionoftheDay.

Anyway, sit back and enjoy relieving the final stages of IPL 2020.

Videos are linked in the tweets and the headlines, so feel free to watch the highlights of the moments if you missed out!

What were your favorite moments of the past two weeks or the IPL in general? COMMENT below with your favorite moments of this IPL!

Highlights – The Final Stage

Day 38 — KKR and Team Management: A Mystery
Day 39 — Rashid Khan ❤ — That’s All
Day 40 — Suryakumar Yadav Responds In Style
Surya Kumar Yadav SKY GIF - SuryaKumarYadav SKY CalmaCalma GIFs
Suryakumar Yadav Responds In Style
Day 41 — Gaikwad Keeps the Spark Going
Day 42 — The Universe Boss Is Still The Best
Day 43 Game 1 — Delhi Daredevils, Delhi Capitals, Delhi Bye-Bye?
Day 43 Game 2 — Cool Holder Resurrects SRH
Day 44 Game 1 — KXIP’s Dreams Go Down the Drain

Moment of the day – Dhoni’s “Definitely Not.” Thala is going to be back next year.

Day 44 Game 2 — KKR Finally Comes To the Party…In the Last Game
Day 45 — The Most Boring Match of the IPL?

The Playoffs

Playoffs Game 1 — Indian Top Order Zero
Playoffs 2 — Another Year, Another Broken Dream for RCB
Women’s T20 Challenge — Close Game But Still NO Women’s IPL??
Women’s T20 Challenge Game 2 — We Need To Talk About the Women’s Game
  • If you have not heard Lisa Sthalekar talk about this, watch it NOW: Proper pitches and scheduling is needed for the women’s game to prosper
Women’s T20 Challenge Game 3 — So Close Yet So Far For the Trailblazers
Qualifier 2 — Kane Williamson Can Do Anything…Almost
Finals — Rohit and Mandhana Stand Up On the Big Stage

Conclusion

I hereby declare IPL 2020 close….Well, that is a wrap of our IPL 2020!

See you on the other side. The PSL and Women’s Big Bash League are currently going on, but the T20s are on the way down for the rest of the year.

Test Match season coming soon – India vs. Australia, New Zealand vs. Pakistan, and England vs. South Africa – November 27th.

We will be right back. Will you?

Sign up for free below to get notified for new articles:

Also Read: IPL All Time XI’s: RR & KKR, KXIP & DC, RCB, SRH, CSK, MI

Source: Cricinfo (Moments), IPLT20.com

Image Courtesy: Suryakumar Yadav GIF, IPL Trophy – Daljit8 via CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain

Top 10 Life Lessons From IPL: Beauty of Cricket

What is life without its beautiful life lessons?

As nineteenth-century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”

In this age of fast-paced technology and instant gratification, we sometimes focus too much on day-to-day activities and forget to appreciate life at the fullest. Here at Broken Cricket Dreams, we seek inspiration in our lives from cricketing events, relive childhood memories, and share our broken dreams.

Earlier, we did a piece on Cricket’s Reflections of Passion, where we discussed how each and every cricket is motivational in their own right, whether they have played 100 tests or just one. Similarly, today we discuss the life lessons from from IPL 2020.

IPL is a tournament where dreams come true. T. Natarajan, Mohammad Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Afghan duo of Rashid and Nabi, and architect Varun Chakravarthy are just few of the countless examples. Their journeys are already so inspirational, even before taking the IPL in consideration.

This year has been different though due to the pandemic. IPL 2020 has provided the fans an ounce of relief that was needed. Here are 10 life lessons that IPL 2020 has provided us.

Table of Contents

The Life Lessons

1. Soil Fertile Elsewhere

Moment: IPL moving to the UAE

With the growing pandemic situation in India, it was never feasible to hold a full-fledged IPL there. The BCCI took the bold decision and moved it to UAE, putting all the safety precautions in place. Hats off to all the organizers, staff, commentators, and players for making this happen.

Seeds need the right environment to grow, and sometimes the soil is fertile elsewhere. In this case, soil was literally fertile elsewhere. It is completely okay to acknowledge that and nurture the seed where it is best poised for growth. So how can we apply this in our lives?

Life Lesson 1: Spread goodness and good ideas. Recognize that you will not be the center of attention all the time. Sometimes just stepping aside, encouraging others, and lending them a hand is just as important.

2. The Audacity of Hope

Moment: Rahul Tewatia’s heroics

After struggling at 17 (23) in a mammoth chase of 226, Tewatia roared back with 5 sixes in an over against Sheldon Cottrell ending with 53 (31). The initial struggle even provoked the commentators to propose the ‘retire out’ option.

He battled and stayed in the game. Only someone with immense self-confidence and inner mental strength could overcome such pressure. This reminded me of Barack Obama’s iconic 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address:

“Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope.”

This is exactly what Rahul Tewatia has taught us this season.

Life Lesson 2: When life gives you lemons, weather the storm with the best of your abilities and come back with a bang. Hang in there. Before thinking of quitting, reflect on why we came into the profession in the first place.

3. Rise Like a Phoenix

Moment 1: KXIP need 1 off 3, Mayank Agarwal fails to close the chase after a brilliant 89. DC win the Super Over.

Moment 2: The Double Super Over – Agarwal comes in clutch with a brilliant save and hits the winning runs with 8* (2).

Although he could not take KXIP across the line in the first attempt, he learned from his mistakes and made amends the second time around.

One of the stories of IPL 2020 was Mayank Agarwal. His toil in domestic cricket is well recorded. After years of piling the runs without national selection, he finally made it to international cricket.

Life Lesson 3: It is not the end till the end. Disappointments will occur. The important thing is to learn from this setback, not drag on the disappointments, and come back stronger.

4. Make Most of Your Opportunities

Moment: Anukul Roy and J. Suchith, aka specialist substitute fielders of IPL 2020.

They both changed games themselves by taking diving catches at crucial junctures of the game. In Hindi, Anukul means favorable. Throughout the tournament, he did just that—made situations favorable for himself.

Life Lesson 4: It is easy to get disheartened when you are on the sidelines or not getting that promotion, but you never know. Always be prepared. When your opportunity arrives, cash in. This may be the moment you have prepared all your life.

5. Synergy Above All

Moment: Team spirit of SRH and MI pushes them to the the playoffs (and championship)

Synergy is defined as “the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of individual elements, contributions, etc” [1]. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians were prime examples of this phenomenon in this tournament.

SRH were dealt with injury blows all throughout the tournament—Mitchell Marsh, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Kane Williamson on and off. Just take a look at SRH’s man of the match winners:

Rashid Khan, Priyam Garg, Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, and Kane Williamson.

Notice something? David Warner, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad do not even feature in this list.

Similarly, MI had contributions from each team member. Even the little contributions from Jayant Yadav in the final and Suryakumar Yadav’s sacrificial run-out for the betterment of the team turned out to be momentous.

Life Lesson 5: Teamwork, harmony, unity is more important than just individual contributions. This can be applied to sports, work, or education. Invest in collaborative efforts.

Embed from Getty Images

6. Small Hole Can Sink a Ship

Moments: 5 Super Overs including 3 in one day

With plenty of Super Overs and Double Super Overs, this IPL was not short of excitement. Catches win matches, direct hits changes games. Still holds true. Given that the points table were extremely close at the end, these super overs may have changed some fates.

Life Lesson 6: Focus, Focus, Focus. Every moment matters, every detail matters. It is easy to be complacent and declare victory prematurely, but a small mistake can come back to haunt you.

7. Carry Old Baggage At Your Own Risk

Moment: Delhi Capitals and the Chennai Super Kings

Delhi Capitals were on a roll for the first half of the tournament, but they lost momentum drastically. Shikhar Dhawan and Marcus Stoinis blew hot and cold, ranging from match winning contributions to absolutely nothing. Holding on to older performances may have hindered DC to rise to the next level.

Another team that held on too long? CSK. Their old stars carried the baggage and credentials for maybe one season too long.

Life Lesson 7: Keep on Improving. Holding on to past performances, and achievements may hinder your present. Stay in the present, and “keep it simple, stupid.”

8. When One Era Closes, Another Opens

Moment: Dale Steyn and CSK on the way out, Padikkal, Garg, Gaikwad, and co. come to the party

Sports can provide legendary status to some during their careers. Dale Steyn and MS Dhoni are legends and will always remain so. IPL 2020 confirmed that their careers were on the last lap, and honestly it was a sad sight.

On the other hand, the Indian youngsters showed promise. They were so good, we could even make an uncapped XI out of them.

Life Lesson 8: Transitions are a part and parcel of life. Sometimes it is hard to let go, but it is going to be okay. We can relieve the old memories, but moving on at the right time is crucial.

9. Fix Roof When Sun Is Shining

Moment: Warning to Indian cricket for the future

The talent emerging in Indian cricket is tremendous. With nurturing from U-19, India A, and IPL squads and mentorship with people like Rahul Dravid, these cricketers are already a ready, mature product.

Although we have to take care of these youngsters, both physically and mentally, the BCCI needs to make sure these talents do not go wasted.

Mayank Agarwal barely made it, talents like Manish Pandey and Rishabh Pant have been mishandled, and Suryakumar Yadav is in the danger of not being selected in his prime.

Indian cricket needs to take the right decisions when the time is good. Otherwise, semi-final losses will become an excruciating pattern…

Life Lesson 9: Make hay when the sun shines. Everyone goes through high and lows. Just make sure to capitalize when the going is good, because it will not remain so forever.

10. Sportsmanship and Passion for the Game

Moment: Harsha Bhogle’s quote of the IPL, “That is what sport should be about. There is humanity off the field; competition on it and the two are never at odds with each other”

Sport is tough and competitive in nature, but outside of the stadium, all the players are human. The T20 leagues have definitely helped in building relationships across boundaries, and it would be great if cricket is actually played like the ‘gentleman’s game.’

Finally, without spectators, the will of the players was on display in IPL 2020. They played for the love of the game. The players did their best and competed with complete energy even without any external applause.

Life Lesson 10: Internal Motivation vs External Motivators – One should always give their best without expecting in return. Just keep on improving, give it your all, and leave the rest.

If this happens with the sportsmanship, then we have a win-win situation here. I would like to leave you with:

What is life without cricket? What is cricket without the life lessons?

Let us know which life lessons were your favorite in the COMMENTS below.

Embed from Getty Images

Life Lessons Inspired by conversations with Dad

Sources: [1] Dictionary.com, [2] IPLT20.com, [3] Cricinfo
Image Courtesy: Sourav Ganguly.jpg: Hashir Milhanderivative work: Legolas2186, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

IPL 2020: The Dream Teams

With the end of IPL 2020, fans and experts chipped in with their choices of the Dream Teams. Recently, social media went ablaze with Virender Sehwag’s highly debated IPL XI. Virat Kohli and David Warner at 4 and 5—it is easy to see why that was the case.

So I decided to join the party!

Here is my IPL XIs, with a couple of twists, of course.

Today’s Twist:

I will build two IPL Dreams today—the Obvious XI and the Non-Obvious XI. The goal is to see if my team could beat the Obvious Team of the Tournament. Here are the rules:

  • Have at least one uncapped player in each team
  • The IPL rules apply – 4 foreign players maximum
  • A wicketkeeper and 5 bowling options are necessary
  • The Obvious XI will contain the winners of the Orange Cap, Purple Cap, and MVP awards
  • The two teams should not have any overlap.

The Catch:

In IPL 2020, the foreign fast bowlers were on fire—Jofra Archer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, but how many can you fit in? Additionally, the Indian squad have prolific wicketkeeper batsmen, but will all of them make it?

Tough choices to make…

IPL XI – The Dream Teams

The Non-Obvious XI

Here is my choice — the not-so-obvious Dream Team.

*Note: Bolded players represent the foreign players

  1. Mayank Agarwal
  2. Wriddhiman Saha (WK)
  3. David Warner (C)
  4. Suryakumar Yadav (U)
  5. Kane Williamson
  6. Sam Curran
  7. Rahul Tewatia (U)
  8. Anrich Nortje
  9. Thangarasu Natarajan (U)
  10. Varun Chakravarthy (U)
  11. Mohammad Shami

*WK – Wicketkeeper, C – Captain, U – Uncapped

In the batting front, this team has sparkling openers, the experience of Warner and Williamson, Suryakumar Yadav’s flamboyance, and Sam Curran/Tewatia as floaters.

With Sam Curran and Shami as the opening swing bowlers, Nortje as the pace spearhead, Natarajan as the designated death bowler, the mystery of Varun, and the leg-spin of Tewatia, the bowling line-up is balanced. If necessary, even cool Kane Williamson can role over his arm.

The Obvious XI

  1. Shikhar Dhawan
  2. KL Rahul (WK)
  3. Devdutt Padikkal (U)
  4. AB De Villiers (C)
  5. Ishan Kishan
  6. Hardik Pandya
  7. Rashid Khan
  8. Jofra Archer
  9. Kagiso Rabada
  10. Jasprit Bumrah
  11. Yuzvendra Chahal

*Orange Cap (Most Runs), Purple Caps (Most Wickets), Most Valuable Player (MVP)

With left-right hand combination (overrated but still) till No. 6 and bowling line-up of the decade, this is a pretty strong team. So, you decide, can my team defeat the Obvious XI?

Jofra Archer vs. David Warner, anybody? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW! Let us know of your IPL XI as well!

Honorable Mentions:
  • Quinton De Kock, Trent Boult, Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, Marcus Stoinis, Faf du Plessis, Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Abdul Samad, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi

I had a tough time leaving QDK and Boult out. Both were magnificent, but the 4-foreign player quota came into the equation.

Notice something? None of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or Shreyas Iyer (captains of 3 of the top 4 teams) make it into either of my XIs or the honorable mentions.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this…COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW! Also share ahead and subscribe to our email list below:

Embed from Getty Images

Conclusion

This was a peculiar tournament in terms of player performance. While the foreign players and the Indian uncapped players impressed, the current and former Indian players disappointed.

Although Dhawan, Kohli, and Iyer were among the runs, none of them looked consistently convincing. Similarly, former IPL stars like Robin Uthappa and 2019 World Cup squad members — Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav, and Kuldeep Yadav — all had a sub-par season.

On the other hand, a 15-member squad could be created out of the impressive uncapped youngsters themselves:

  • Padikkal, Gaikwad, Kishan, Suryakumar, Garg, Samad, Sharma, Nagarkoti, Mavi, Bishnoi, Varun, Natarajan, Arshdeep, Tyagi, Prasidh Krishna

IPL 2020 was the beginning of the end of the 2007 T20 World Cup and IPL 2008 era. The early stars are slowly fading away in the background, while the newer generation are storming to the forefront.

Embed from Getty Images

Image Courtesy: Getty, Suryakumar Yadav – Sirshak9927, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

IPL 2020: Prediction Results

All good things come to an end.

Well, well, well – the IPL 2020 festivities have finally come to a close and yet again, the Mumbai Indians emerged as the winner—wait for it—for the 5th time!

Their ability to win consistently is remarkable. The way they were playing, Mumbai Indians winning might be the only predictable event that has occurred in 2020.

The Predictions

Speaking of predictions, we asked our Twitter followers to predict the IPL result and award winners with #IPLPredictions at the start of IPL 2020. Here were the categories:

  • #Champions
  • #OrangeCap
  • #PurpleCap
  • #FairPlay
  • #EmergingPlayer
  • #SurprisePackage

We will reveal who was the closest in their IPL Predictions. Read till the end for poll results conducted at the end of the tournament and surprises.

The Actual Results

The way it turned out, Mumbai Indians swept the awards, even winning the Fairplay Award! Interestingly, they won without winning the Orange Cap, Purple Cap, and the MVP.

Although other teams like RR, KXIP, RCB, and DC had match winners who won awards here, only MI could find consistent performances from most of their members throughout the competition.

In any case, here are the results:

ChampionsMumbai Indians
Most Valuable PlayerJofra Archer (RR)
Orange CapKL Rahul (KXIP)
Purple CapKagiso Rabada (DC)
Emerging PlayerDevdutt Padikkal (RCB)
Fairplay AwardMumbai Indians
Super StrikerKieron Pollard (MI)
Let’s Crack It (Most Sixes)Ishan Kishan (MI)
Power PlayerTrent Boult (MI)
IPL 2020 Awards

And The Winner Is…

The time has come to announce the winners. (*Drumroll*)

*Note: Sam Curran was the deemed to the winner from the Surprise Package guesses

AwardsChampionsOrange CapPurple CapFair PlayEmerging PlayerSurprise Package
My Predictions
(0/6)
KKRMayank AgarwalRashid KhanDCRavi BishnoiAnrich Nortje
Aviral Rai
(2/6)
CSKKL Rahul✅Yuzi
Chahal
SRHDevdutt Padikkal✅Balwant Rai/Shahbaz Ahmad (RCB)
Pratyush
(0/6)
SRHWarnerRashid KhanCSKAbdul SamadIsuru
Udana
JustCricket
(2/6)
DCVirat
Kohli
Kagiso Rabada✅CSKDevdutt Padikkal✅Josh Philippe
Ansh Sharma
(1/6)
DCKL Rahul✅Ravi
Ashwin
CSK Yashashwi JaiswalDaniel
Sams
Rahul Kumar
(1/6)
KXIPKL Rahul✅Rashid KhanCSKRavi BishnoiDan
Sams
Sourabh Sanyal
(2/6)
MI✅KOHLI/
KL ✅
Chahal/
Narine/
Rashid
SRH/CSKYashasviNagarkoti
Crazy Anand
(2/6)
SRHKL Rahul✅Rashid KhanDCAbdul SamadSam
Curran ✅
Ganesh giri srt
(0/6)
SRHWarnerRashidSRHYashasviRutherford
CricIndeed 
(1/6)
KXIPKL Rahul✅Imran
Tahir
DCShubman GillHardus Viljoen
Mohd Shamir Ansari 
(0/6)
DCVirat KohliRashid KhanRRYashasvi JaiswalAlex
Carey
The Hundred Report
(0/6)
SRHKane WilliamsonAdam ZampaKXIPRiyan ParagMoeen
(I believe!)
Sourav 
(0/6)
KKRKL Rahul✅Y ChahalSRHShubman GillKamlesh Nagarkoti
Vandit
(4/6)
MI✅KL Rahul✅Mohammad ShamiCSKDevdutt Padikkal✅Sam
Curran ✅
IPL 2020 Predictions

And the winner was Vandit with 4/6 guesses correct! From Twitter, Sourabh Sanyal, JustCricket, Crazy Anand, and Aviral Rai – all got 2/6. Congratulations!

There were some close guesses with CSK ending #2 in the FairPlay and DC/SRH coming 2nd/3rd in the overall competition respectively.

Great work everybody!

*The Cricket Scholar was right – RCB did not make it while Dan Cricket‘s “Delhi Daredevils” also almost made it. Only if they had changed their name back…

Twitter Polls

We decided to spice things up with some polls at the end of the tournament. Some interesting questions and responses! Let us know what you think in the comments below and wait till you get to #5.

1. Emerging Players and Surprise Package

Although Padikkal was by far the most consistent, the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Riyan Parag, the trios of Abdul Samad-Priyam Garg-Abhishek Sharma from SRH, and Kamlesh Nagarkoti-Shivam Mavi-Prasidh Krishna from KKR caught the eye.

In terms of surprise packages, Tewatia, Anrich Nortje, and Natarajan unexpectedly came to the party apart from Sam Curran.

2. The one that Bamboozled and the Wow Factor

There were some things that completely bamboozled us. The reality finally caught up with CSK’s Dad Army, while the fielding ranged from mind boggling acrobatics to utterly poor drops.

The most discussed topic that perplexed everybody?

Why has Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) not made the Indian squad yet?

In addition, there were some WOW moments as well—Tewatia’s cracker of an innings, Saha turning around SRH’s campaign, Stokes with that century as an opener, and Stoinis finally coming to the IPL party. What was your moment of the IPL?

3. The Benchwarmers and Saddest sight of IPL 2020

Now to the broken cricket dreams of IPL 2020. Although the likes of Rahane, Gayle, Tahir, and Ferguson got to showcase their skills at the end of the tournament, some never got a chance to play. David Miller (run out without facing a ball) and Chris Lynn startled me the most.

On the other hand, there were some sad sights as well. Once feared, a smiling Dale Steyn without venom was very hard to watch this time. It might be the end of his career, Maxwell’s IPL journey—and the end of CSK as we know it.

4. Sam Curran

And we are back to Sam Curran. He could do everything. Opened the batting, finished the innings, opened the bowling, bowled at the death, and even took some great catches.

Which Sam Curran did you like the best?

The day is not too far when Sam Curran takes the wicketkeeping gloves as well.

5. The Real Surprise Package

Here is the real winner of IPL 2020 – Pashchim Pathak!

Conclusion

Cricket is unpredictable, and predicting the unpredictable even more so. So do not be disheartened if your predictions did not match the final outcome. IPL 2021 is around the corner, so you always have another chance!

The beauty in cricket is the uncertainty. You never know when a struggling Tewatia can hit it out the park for five sixes, or if you miss a World Cup trophy by the barest of margins.

What is in our control though is to sit back, relax, and appreciate the fickle nature of this game.

Cricket is unpredictable. 2020 might have been unpredictable. Life is definitely unpredictable. Let us be grateful and enjoy each moment.

COVID has turned the world upside down. This pandemic has impacted almost everybody and has given us nothing but grief, despair, and uncertainty. The fact that IPL 2020 was completed without much external noise and disruptions is a tremendous effort from the organizers, the UAE, and the BCCI. Kudos to all the players, commentators, support staff, and everybody else that made this happen.

The 4 hours of joy and entertainment provided every day is exactly what the fans around the world needed in midst of a pandemic.

When life gives you 50 reasons to cry, it also provides 64 matches to smile about.

*56 league, 4 playoffs, and 4 Women T20 Challenge games

Coming up Soon!

Stay tuned for my IPL 2020 XIs, Broken Cricket Diary, and What I Learned from the IPL coming up in the next couple of days!

Comment below your favorite memories from this IPL, share with your friends, and subscribe below to receive email alerts when new articles come out!

Image Courtesy: Tata Altroz – Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

What If India Won 2017 ICC Cricket World Cup?

Today’s Scenario: Mithali Raj Lifts the 2017 Cricket World Cup

In our segment Just Imagine, we explore how a specific moment in cricket could have lasting ripple effects. Going back in time, we ask a simple question: What Would Happened if…? and reflect on its consequences.

What if Brathwaite’s Dream Was Not Diminished in Manchester in the 2019 Cricket World Cup? What if Freddie Flintoff Kept his Cool to Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup?

Since the Women T20 Challenge is in full flow among the teams—Trailblazers, Velocity, and the Supernovas, we imagine what would have happened if India had not collapsed against England in the 2017 Cricket World Cup Final?

Match:

England vs India, July 23rd 2017, Final, Lord’s, London, ICC Women’s World Cup

Background:

The 2017 Cricket World Cup was a watershed moment in several ways for women’s cricket. It was widely broadcasted and viewed, the matches were highly competitive, several remarkable individual performances were on show, and to cap it off—an intense final.

The hosts were favorite to win the trophy, while India captured the imagination of the world during the tournament.

In the group stages, India had won 5/7 games while brushing Australia aside in the semi-finals thanks to Harmanpreet Kaur’s magnificent 171*—maybe the best world cup innings by an Indian in a semi-final, certainly in the last decade. On the other hand, England squeaked past the Proteas with 2 balls to spare. Their only defeat in the tournament coming at the hand of India via Smriti Mandana’s elegant 90.

The final was a classic low-scoring thriller. Ebbs and flows throughout.

England scored 228/7. In response, Mandana and Raj fell cheaply before Punam Raut and Kaur stabilized and registered 50s.

India now in control….Or at least, we thought.

Embed from Getty Images

The Moment:

Chasing 229, India are sitting comfortably at 191-3.

38 needed off 44 balls. Punam Raut 86* (114), Veda Krishnamurthy 28* (28). Then, next ball, there is an appeal for LBW…

What Actually Happened:

42. 5 Shrubsole to Raut OUT:

Punam has asked for a review but the umpire says sorry, you took too long. Do England have wink of an opportunity? This was the wrong shot. Length ball sliding in from wide of the crease, Punam plays all around the delivery. Looked to work it square when he could’ve played in down the ground. Hit on the knee roll. That would’ve gone on to hit the stumps. Has she done enough though?

[Source: Cricinfo commentary]

What followed was an absolute collapse. Anya Shrubsole’s 6 wicket haul grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.

India fell agonizingly 9 runs short with 8 balls still remaining.

Highlights: England trumps India in tense World Cup Final

Just Imagine:

If Punam Raut had straight batted the shot, or if the DRS review was called in time, and the decision (magically) overturned, what would have happened?

The Consequence:

Punam Raut hits an unbeaten century in the final. Veda seals the deal with an exquisite six.

Jhulam Goswami, the star with 3 wickets on the final, and captain Mithali Raj retire as World Cup winners. The 2017 squad return as legends. Their stories now etched in stone along with the 1983 and 2011.

The BCCI want to capitalize as usual.

They have a template—2007 T20 World Cup and the 2008 IPL. Upon the Indian men’s victory, the experiment of IPL turned into an unprecedented success, changing the global cricket game forever.

They have an opportunity again.

The Women’s IPL launches in 2018. All the world cup heroes are in their prime. Raj captains the Chennai Super Kings, Harmanpreet the marquee player for Kings XI Punjab, and Mandhana starring for the Mumbai Indians. With foreign players such as Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, and the world’s greatest Ellyse Perry, the WIPL is a financial and global success.

This T20 experience gained helps Indian women win the 2020 T20 World Cup defeating Australia in their background in front of a 86,174 crowd at the MCG.

Reflection – Inaction Trumps Imagination

Well, things did not turn out that way, did it?

Winning and losing is part and parcel of the game. Yes, one moment can change histories, but sometimes if action is taken in the right time, it could pay dividends as well.

India’s performance had already delighted audiences around the world and Goswami-Mithali-Harmanpreet-Mandana were household names.

Why then, has the WIPL not been put into action?

It did not need to be an 8 team tournament. A 5-6 team tournament would be wonderful as well. In 3 years, teams would have stabilized, rivalries and fanbase would have fostered, and ultimately, women’s cricket would have benefitted.

Instead, we are watching the 3rd T20 Women’s challenge as an afterthought of a 56 match exhausting Men’s IPL, just taking a break before the Playoffs. Meanwhile, most of the foreign players like Heather Knight, Alyssa Healy, and Ellyse Perry are employing their trade at the WBBL, and we are just waiting for the Hundred for a competitive world T20 women’s league.

With the likes of Shefali Verma, Deepti Sharma, and Jemimah Rodrigues, India’s future is still bright, but by the time WIPL commences, India women’s stars would have already retired.

Photo of Jemimah Rodrigues
Jemimah Rodrigues times a cover drive to perfection

Inspired By Conversations with Vandit and ESPNCricinfo’s Alternative Universe Series.

Sources: ICC, Cricinfo
Image Courtesy: Eng-Ind Final: BMN Network (Flickr) via CC 2.0, Jemimah Rodrigues: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons