A Nondescript team...an amazing leader…!

      I thought last year’s IPL was a fluke, a freakish victory of some sorts for the Rajastan Royals. With the big teams playing to their potential this time around, I thought that Warne’s bubble finally burst.

               Shane Warne and his rag-tag bunch of cricketers were billed to be the weakest team in the last year’s IPL and they lifted the trophy. This season, Shane Warne lost his best players to International commitments and Diplomatic Standoffs which makes his rag-tag bunch look like a school team in front of other Star-studded teams. The fact that the team was missing the services of Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal  and Shane Watson (Who incidentally was the man of the series in the last edition) was evident in the first match itself when Bangalore steamrolled Warne’s men in the opening match of the IPL. They were bowled out for a paltry 58 chasing a modest 135 in 20 overs.

              Trust Shane Warne to pull a rabbit out of his hat when the chips are down and so did he! This time it was a wildcard entry in the form of an 18 year old bowler from the sleepy town of Azamgarh. From sleeping on the railway platforms to making Kamran Khan the most potent bowler in the Rajastan Royals’ team, we thought that Shane Warne was through.

                        But Shane Warne seems to have a much bigger hat. Out of nowhere comes wicket-keeper batsman Naman Ojha who blasts his way into the IPL. And if that was not enough, Warne produces another ace in the hole in the form of another non entity, Amit Singh.
                       Shane Warne, with the ball, never ceased to amaze me. I have always been a fan of the ‘Sheikh of Tweak’ but the IPL has shown what an inspiring captain can he become. And though I don’t support the Rajastan Royals, I won’t mind his bunch notching another fairy tale victory..!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Watch the batsman’s reaction..! Bamboozled completely!)

And this is one of those amazing moments that makes me worship this wizard of Oz..! :D