Harbhajan's payback, and Yuvraj's crowd troubles
Plays of the Day from the IPL fixture between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab at the Brabourne Stadium
Cricinfo staff
30-Mar-2010
Plays of the Day from the IPL fixture between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab at the Brabourne Stadium
Harbhajan pays back
Harbhajan can make the captain angry for various things. So when he fumbled to pick the ball neatly for the second time in two overs, he earned Sachin Tendulkar's wrath, as the Mumbai captain gestured angrily. Harbhajan did silence his critics soon, as he rushed back, fell down but held on to a difficult catch from Irfan Pathan at midwicket. Immediately, he got back on his legs, put his fingers to his lips, asking the crowd that had booed him earlier to stay mum.
Harbhajan can make the captain angry for various things. So when he fumbled to pick the ball neatly for the second time in two overs, he earned Sachin Tendulkar's wrath, as the Mumbai captain gestured angrily. Harbhajan did silence his critics soon, as he rushed back, fell down but held on to a difficult catch from Irfan Pathan at midwicket. Immediately, he got back on his legs, put his fingers to his lips, asking the crowd that had booed him earlier to stay mum.
Missed call alerts
They were perhaps calling in Punjabi. Otherwise, it was difficult to understand the numerous misunderstandings Shaun Marsh and Mahela Jayawardene had during their eventful 49-run partnership, which would have ended even before it began had Marsh decided to remain stranded halfway down the pitch while taking a single. The confusion persisted even as both had the upper-hand against the bowlers. But the miscommunication finally claimed Jayawardene, who rushed to complete the single after Marsh had tapped towards point, but suddenly stopped a few yards into the run.
They were perhaps calling in Punjabi. Otherwise, it was difficult to understand the numerous misunderstandings Shaun Marsh and Mahela Jayawardene had during their eventful 49-run partnership, which would have ended even before it began had Marsh decided to remain stranded halfway down the pitch while taking a single. The confusion persisted even as both had the upper-hand against the bowlers. But the miscommunication finally claimed Jayawardene, who rushed to complete the single after Marsh had tapped towards point, but suddenly stopped a few yards into the run.
Mumbai boos Yuvraj again
The Mumbai crowd has never been cordial to Yuvraj Singh. In the 2005 Ranji Trophy semi-final between Mumbai and Punjab, Yuvraj climbed into the stands at the Wankhede Stadium, bat in hand, to take on the spectator who was constantly heckling him with personal taunts.
The Mumbai crowd has never been cordial to Yuvraj Singh. In the 2005 Ranji Trophy semi-final between Mumbai and Punjab, Yuvraj climbed into the stands at the Wankhede Stadium, bat in hand, to take on the spectator who was constantly heckling him with personal taunts.
Then, during the first IPL in 2008, at the same venue, a disgruntled Yuvraj had to listen to incessant booing from all parts, which only prompted him to go on a wild victory-run after Punjab won the game. On the victory podium he quipped: "The crowds should remember there are players from Punjab who play for India."
Today, as Yuvraj lumbered in to bat, the crowd began to heckle him again. As fate would have it, Yuvraj found a horrendous way to throw his wicket, going for a pre-meditated scoop which finished in the hands of Harbhajan at short fine-leg. The chants only grew louder.
Uninformed jockey
'"Sreesanth ya (or) Harbhajan Singh", screamed a ground DJ to stir up the crowd's attention an hour before the game. Clearly, the man had been paid to read the lines blindly, and so he did, not knowing that Sreesanth had not made the trip to Mumbai for this game.
'"Sreesanth ya (or) Harbhajan Singh", screamed a ground DJ to stir up the crowd's attention an hour before the game. Clearly, the man had been paid to read the lines blindly, and so he did, not knowing that Sreesanth had not made the trip to Mumbai for this game.
David floors Goliath
Kieron Pollard is 6'4". Piyush Chawla stands 5'6" in socks. Still the diminutive Punjab player managed to ground Pollard as he set off to take a tight single. As Pollard rushed out of the blocks from the non-striker's end, Chawla's right foot came in the way, unintentionally, and the Trinidadian stumbled, lost his bat and then crawled into to the crease just in the nick of time to finish the run. As Chawla moved in to apologise, Pollard walked the other way.
Kieron Pollard is 6'4". Piyush Chawla stands 5'6" in socks. Still the diminutive Punjab player managed to ground Pollard as he set off to take a tight single. As Pollard rushed out of the blocks from the non-striker's end, Chawla's right foot came in the way, unintentionally, and the Trinidadian stumbled, lost his bat and then crawled into to the crease just in the nick of time to finish the run. As Chawla moved in to apologise, Pollard walked the other way.
Harsh call, umpire
Let's say it one more time: every rule in the Twenty20 is meant to make the batsman's life easy. Apart from a purple cap, the bowlers get nothing much. So when Shalabh Srivastava bowled a fuller-length delivery, marginally wide of left-hander Saurabh Tiwary's off stump, umpire Shavir Tarapore harshly called it a wide. Srivastava couldn't believe it. Umpires clearly have a lot on their mind, but at times like these, they could be a little more lenient.
Let's say it one more time: every rule in the Twenty20 is meant to make the batsman's life easy. Apart from a purple cap, the bowlers get nothing much. So when Shalabh Srivastava bowled a fuller-length delivery, marginally wide of left-hander Saurabh Tiwary's off stump, umpire Shavir Tarapore harshly called it a wide. Srivastava couldn't believe it. Umpires clearly have a lot on their mind, but at times like these, they could be a little more lenient.