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| Edited By: G Krishnan |Source: DNA |Updated: May 18, 2017, 08:48 PM IST
Defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain David Warner was giving his post-match interview at 01:32 am on Thursday, when in normal circumstances, he’d probably have been in the bed.
It was bizarre that even the most ardent of cricket fans had to stay awake past midnight on Wednesday to know who among Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SRH will be eliminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Even the players felt strange going out and playing at that unearthly hour, prompting KKR’s Nathan Coulter-Nile to say “you can't be playing cricket at 2 o' clock”.
While the IPL rules provide for a reserve day only for the final, there is no such provision for the two Qualifiers and the Eliminator. It is a shame that the top four teams who have been consistent over the previous six weeks may have had to go out just because of weather with no reserve day. All their efforts in the whole tournament would have come down to nothing if their fate was to be decided by the silly IPL rules and not fair cricket.
SRH, having posted a fighting 128/7 on a low-scoring M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, had no chance of a comeback when the target was revised to 48 off just six overs after showers hit Bengaluru. Play started at 12.55 am after about three-and-a-half hours of waiting and uncertainty, and only one bowler was allowed to bowl a maximum of two overs.
It may have been taxing on either SRH or KKR to be playing on successive days if there was a reserve day, as the Qualifier 2 was slated for Friday. That, however, is much better than playing at the odd hours.
After all, there have been back-to-back ODIs on successive days, let alone T20 matches. And, the players would not be complaining if they were to play at normal hours. Even better would have been proper scheduling that allowed a day’s break after a reserve day.
The organisers may have logistical issues to not have a reserve day. But, if careful thought was given, it could be accommodated. They cannot hold devoted fans for ransom and make them wait until 1 am or so and still not have any action. And, those who stayed back at the stadium, would have reached home not before 2.30 am, with the working ones having to go to office bleary eyed within a matter of hours.
Sunil Gavaskar hit the nail on the head by saying that there should be a deadline by which a decision be taken, even if it means calling off a match, and not prolonging the game meaninglessly. By the way, if a five-over match was not possible at 12.55 am, there was a Super Over that could have begun as late as 1.20 am. Bizarre is the word here.
Thankfully, there was some action, even if it was for six overs, and KKR went through. Imagine if, after all the umpteen inspections by the umpires, and getting the ground ready, another shower had rendered the KKR run-chase impossible. SRH would have got another crack at the final as they were placed higher than KKR in the league table.
Yes, rules are rules. But what about the fantastic bowling effort that KKR produced to give themselves a winning chance on Wednesday? Or, for that matter, what about the SRH bowling unit which has defended successfully in five league matches not being given a chance to do that in full 20 overs.
As it is, an 8pm game does not end before 11.30, which itself is taxing for many involved in the game including the spectators. A 7pm start, like they did during ICC World T20 last year, would have been ideal.
Hopefully, after Wednesday night’s example, better sense will prevail when it comes to laying down the rules for future IPL including a reserve day for the Play-offs and not just the final.
