Mumbai Indians- A Great Success Story in IPL 8!!!

1260th BLOG POST -->>

     

        This time IPL has been very interesting. Every IPl there are just 2 or 3 teams who practically fight for the CUP while others just play against them without any hope of the CUP coming their way. This season, right from CSK to RR to KKR to SRH to RCB to MI, everyone was in the race until the last day of the league matches. Never ever have any season of IPL been so nail-biting than this one. A single loss could have taken anyone out of the race while a single win could have given someone a place quite higher in the Points table. Mumbai Indians fought well in their 2nd half of the season and clutched the CUP tonight. They were already written off after their 6 matches in which they lost 5 of them. Other teams were doing quite well except KXIP and DD. As soon as MI realized that they aren't totally out of the race, some kind of enthusiasm flew through their nerves and they ended up winning 9 out of last 10 matches that they played this IPL.

             For a Mumbai Indians fan, their journey this IPL has been an inspiration. After almost being out of the tournament, they somehow managed to remain in the race by showing consistency. In their last match, they were at No. 6 before the game started and by the time it ended, they were not at No. 4 or 5 but at No. 2 spot. In their Qualifier match, they won against CSK very easily and directly reached final while 3 other teams kept fighting to get to Finals to play against them. And in the Finals, after the first two overs, Mumbai Indians never let CSK own a single over. What a one-sided victory they achieved in this final game of IPL season 8! Including all the seasons, this has been the best success story till now. This is enough for MI to motivate themselves in every season considering how they started this season and ended it. Similarly last year they had won their last match against RR by scoring impossible 190+ runs in just 15 overs and qualify for the Play-offs. Amazing!

            This season, the biggest plus point for Mumbai Indians have been Pollard and Bhajji's returning back in their best forms. These are the two team players who do well with ball and bat both and their contribution in fielding is also damn important. Both of them weren't doing any thing special from last many seasons. Similarly, Rohit Sharma's form and decision of moving himself down the batting order was also an essential turn over as it gave Mumbai accelerating amount of runs even when top orders fell like cards. The most significant role has been of Lendl Simmons specially. He is the one who have done it for Mumbai by giving them a great start every single time since he returned back in the team. Even his fielding- those 3 catches are simply magical which were game-changers. Along with him, Parthiv Patel contributed well as an opener and played few great innings ensuring MI winning the match.

            Mumbai's coaching team includes great names like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jonty Rhodes, Anil Kumble etc. Their contribution have also given different angles to these 11 players delivering on the field. The confidence that Mumbai team have shown as a unit is what made them enough stronger to deal with a team like CSK twice in the end of IPL and still defeating them. They also did wonderful against strong teams like CSK, RR, KKR and SRH in Playoffs. Mumbai Indians have more haters than lovers and the way they are proving them wrong each time tells how courageous they are. They should now think upon how to start a tournament as it has been twice in row that they have started off very badly and had to struggle in the end to enter into Play offs. That's not how they can become a team that weakens the opponents by just their name the way CSK, KKR and RR does. 

             But coming back to this season, there has been few moments that shall remain with me- 98* of Rohit Sharma, 100s by Chris Gayle and AB Devilliers, the moment when David Warner took Kohli's catch, touched the rope and lost the match, Harbhajan's 50 off just 19 balls when Mumbai was losing by a very big margin, Lendl Simmons' 3 catches, A Russell's 19 balls 50 runs etc. IPL gives so much fun that you forget every important work of yours. It has so many colors that you get lost in them even if you come with all the determination of ignoring them. A very big thanks to BCCI for conducting this aggressive tournament every year and executing it so well regardless of controversy harping around it. IPL is definitely India ka Tyohaar and I am sad it has ended today leaving all the evenings from tomorrow being colorless and Cricket-less. I'll miss you IPL. 

            My heartiest congratulations to all the Mumbaikars supporting Mumbai Indians right from the beginning. It has been a great comeback by us and what an inspiration! Thanks Rohit Sharma! This is the only time I am loving you. :-) 

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!