Here is how KKR eliminated themselves from the IPL : Was this waiting to happen? Maybe YES.
KKR, who have been playing really well in the league stage, surprisingly seemed to have ‘lost their way’ after entering the KO round.
Having placed fourth on the KO table, they had to get ‘the better of’ the defending champions, Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH).
SRH, led by David Warner, were also no ‘push overs’. Having a lackadaisical start in the initial games, they quickly caught up with the leaders. By performing well at crucial moments they found themselves playing in the knock-out stage.
KKR did well to win the toss in the Eliminator game against SRH and rightly opted to bowl. On a day when the ‘weather-gods’ played truant, M/s Duckworth and Lewis had a big role to play.
SRH were lucky enough to play their 20 overs but their scoring took a big hit. They had ended their innings at 128 runs losing seven wickets. KKR had to chase 129 for a win. Given the batting strength, KKR were confident enough of chasing and making it to the second qualifier.
Weather-interrupted game got reduced to chasing 48 runs in 6 overs for KKR. Batting ‘came a cropper’ for them too as they lost 3 top order wickets, doing so. Skipper Gambhir scored an unbeaten 32* runs of the required target.
Having moved into the second qualifier, KKR had to take on the mighty Mumbai Indians, who though, had a very slow start to the tournament, made their way to the knockout round by convincing wins in the later part.
KKR clearly lacked the depth in their batting unit, lacked teeth in the bowling department and also displayed sloppy fielding by dropping sitters.
The two-time champions never seemed to be in the game right from the word “GO” against MI.
Put into bat KKR erred in opening with Lynn and Narine. Though Narine had done well in a couple of games as opener, the opposition bowlers had ‘sorted him out’ and he became their bunny.
Gambhir, being the only consistent batsman in the team, should have shouldered the responsibility of opening the innings and stayed on till the end, more so, since they were setting up a target. Someone had to play a long innings and it should have been the skipper.
They also faltered in putting up a proper Playing XI in a crunch game. Shakib al Hasan been available then he could have been useful in the middle order.
The unit lacked in picking the right combination, lacked in their planning exercise, failed to build up partnerships, lost their way and ultimately paid a huge price for their un-spirited display.
Eventually KORBO, LORBO, JEETBO ‘gone with the wind.’
