Expect the unexpected

First, an apology to Shah Rukh Khan: you will not be mentioned in today’s diary entry. And nor will you, Preity Zinta. Sorry.

So, the cricket. I keep forgetting I’m here for the cricket. Before the IPL started, I asked any player I spoke to who they thought was going to win. To a man, they replied that anything could happen in Twenty20, that everyone had a strong squad, and that they were going to give 110%. At the time, these sounded like the kind of answers you get out of sportsmen every day, all round the world: non-committal, anodyne, knuckle-gnawingly tedious. But after six matches, and with a slap in the face for my cynicism, these purveyors of fence-sitting are yet to be proved wrong.

Only Kolkata Knight Riders have won two out of two; only Kings XI Punjab, surprisingly, have lost two out of two. Already, five teams have a win under their belt. Already, expectations are being dashed.

Take Bangalore Royal Challengers, who were widely written off after they were McCullumed on the opening evening (there were even some absurd accusations that the team, which had barely been together for three days, was not gelling). Well, on Sunday, they overcame a hostile atmosphere and a tense run-chase at the Wankhede to beat Mumbai Indians. And Rajasthan Royals, apparently shoo-ins for last place after they were brushed aside by Delhi Daredevils on Saturday, yesterday walloped the highly fancied Kings XI.

This is good news for the organisers. Since each franchise’s programme involves 14 group games at least, the IPL can ill-afford one of them to be exposed as completely useless after just three or four: sceptics will seize upon unimpressed fans and empty stadiums with relish.

But it also tells you something about the way Twenty20 works. An apparently average team can be rescued by one good innings or spell of bowling: cracks that would become chasms over five days of Test cricket can be papered over with a couple of sliders here and five meaty sixes there. Last night, Shane Warne (three for 19) and Shane Watson (76 not out off 49 balls) broke the back of the Punjabis almost by themselves, although Ravindra Jadeja deserves an honourable mention for helping Watson over the line. Bangalore, meanwhile, were rescued by the grit and experience of Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis.

Which raises another issue, one that will ring bells with followers of county cricket. Because however exciting it must be to watch your team being dug out of a hole by world-class cricketers, wouldn’t it be nicer if the glory went to an Indian, and preferably a young one? When a player I’ve never heard of manages to hit the headlines, I’ll be in touch.