Punjab's fault-lines
A look at some of the reasons behind Kings XI Punjab's defeat - their sixth in this competition - at the hands of Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium
Cricinfo staff
30-Mar-2010
Mahela Jayawardene stood, in the teapot pose, head bowed, wondering how Mumbai Indians escaped with such a narrow win. Jayawardene, standing in for the Kumar Sangakkara - slapped with a one-match ban for slow-over rates in three matches - led the team admirably, especially on the field. Clapping and backing his players, rushing to the bowler nearly after every ball, and changing the bowlers randomly, Jayawardene never allowed the batsmen to settle down. Still, Punjab allowed the match to slip away. How? Here are four factors that contributed to their downfall.
Yuvraj Singh, an isolated figure
The least he could do in the field was pump up the adrenaline. We have read, and heard from his fellow players, about his ability to enliven the show in the dressing room, and later on the dance floor during the after hours.
The least he could do in the field was pump up the adrenaline. We have read, and heard from his fellow players, about his ability to enliven the show in the dressing room, and later on the dance floor during the after hours.
As Jayawardene orbited the Brabourne Stadium, trying his best to keep the momentum, Yuvraj cut an isolated figure, walking lazily from point to point at the change of overs, never showing any intent in whispering wise words in his captain's ears or putting a shoulder across the bowler's arms to provide some inputs.
Already, his choice of the shot during Punjab's batting had raised consternation. Walking into the game with an injured wrist - as Tom Moody had said on Monday - Yuvraj opted to play a questionable scoop shot, from close to his body. It was a lame dismissal. Going forward, Yuvraj needs to own up to his lethargic approach as he still remains a vital cog in Punjab's wheels.
Wide off the mark
Brett Lee bowled within his limits, considering he is still ginger about the injured elbow on the mend. But he couldn't have hidden his face anywhere after smearing in a fuller and wide delivery, way down Ambati Rayudu's leg stump, which the stand-in wicket-keeper Manvinder Bisla failed to collect, resulting in five wides.
Brett Lee bowled within his limits, considering he is still ginger about the injured elbow on the mend. But he couldn't have hidden his face anywhere after smearing in a fuller and wide delivery, way down Ambati Rayudu's leg stump, which the stand-in wicket-keeper Manvinder Bisla failed to collect, resulting in five wides.
Lee was not the lone culprit as even Piyush Chawla, trying to slip in a quicker leg-break, straight up on his first ball, ended giving away five wides. Other bowlers chipped in, too, with similar mistakes, accounting for an appalling 15 wides. Later, Jayawardene spoke about Punjab falling short by 10 runs. Actually, they could have saved at least 10 runs.
Fielding indiscipline
For the better part of the Mumbai innings, Punjab had kept the pressure on, but towards the final five overs those jangling nerves were exposed. One unpardonable error occurred when 20 runs were needed off 17 balls. R Sathish steered one behind point and scampered back for the second run. But Bisla tried to collect the throw in a sluggish manner in front of the stumps. He completely missed the ball, giving away an extra run. Rightly, he earned Jayawardene's wrath.
For the better part of the Mumbai innings, Punjab had kept the pressure on, but towards the final five overs those jangling nerves were exposed. One unpardonable error occurred when 20 runs were needed off 17 balls. R Sathish steered one behind point and scampered back for the second run. But Bisla tried to collect the throw in a sluggish manner in front of the stumps. He completely missed the ball, giving away an extra run. Rightly, he earned Jayawardene's wrath.
Another costly error came in the final over: three were required off the final four Lee deliveries, when Sathish pulled a short ball towards fine leg. But a casual Shalabh Srivastava lacked the intensity and the speed to throw the ball quickly, giving away an extra run.
Jayawardene makes the wrong calls
It was an over after the batting time-out. The asking rate was still 10-an-over. Lee was hungry to return and even ran up to Jaywardene, but the Punjab captain, wrongly, opted for the slow-medium pace of Ravi Bopara. Though Bopara got Dwayne Bravo off the last ball, Mumbai had got the 10 runs from the over.
It was an over after the batting time-out. The asking rate was still 10-an-over. Lee was hungry to return and even ran up to Jaywardene, but the Punjab captain, wrongly, opted for the slow-medium pace of Ravi Bopara. Though Bopara got Dwayne Bravo off the last ball, Mumbai had got the 10 runs from the over.
Then, for the penultimate over, Jayawardene once again picked him ahead of Chawla, his main spinner, whose wristy legbreaks could have been far more dangerous than Bopara's straighter and gentler lines, which were thrashed for 13 runs, virtually sealing Punjab's fate.