It was a great learning curve

The last six weeks have flown by. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the intensity and passion of the IPL and as I write I’m looking forward to the second IPL semi-final versus the Chennai Super Kings. I hope on Sunday we’ll be lining-up against Rajasthan in the grand finale.

The first semi-final was won convincingly by the Rajasthan Royals. The Wankhede pitch was a bit drier than earlier in the tournament and did do as much for the pace bowlers as expected. Rajasthan’s batsmen exploited that intelligently, as they have throughout the inaugural IPL, batting out all the overs.

When you get runs on the board in a high-pressure match like a semi-final you are always likely to have the upper hand. Right from the outset the Delhi batsmen were under pressure chasing nine runs per over. Any wicket with the new ball and that pressure soars.

Unfortunately, for Delhi, that’s exactly what happened. And to make it worse, Delhi have been over-dependent on their openers throughout the tournament. Sehwag and Gambhir have been brilliant, giving them plenty of great starts, but when they slip-up the middle order can struggle.

Delhi has played some good cricket, but in all fairness Rajasthan deserved to be in the final. They might have been underdogs at the outset, but in the weeks leading-up to the IPL they made some very shrewd signings, like Shane Watson and Sohail Tanvir, and Shane Warne has organized them brilliantly during the tournament.

The key to their campaign, in my opinion, has been the precise and consistent execution of their game plans. All the players know their specific individual roles. The bowlers have set plans and the batsmen have clear run-scoring strategies. They don’t go into the game with hundreds of thoughts. They are focused, and very organized.

The other area where they have been outstanding has been their fielding. This aspect of the game is so crucial in T20 cricket. If anything, for the Kings XI Punjab, it’s been our greatest weakness, although we have got much better with hard work. But Rajasthan have been exceptional in the field.

The winner of last night’s semi-final, either Chennai Super Kings or us, will have no time to rest before tonight’s big final. That is not going to be easy for the bowlers. While bowling four overs per game may not seem like a lot, in this format it is very intense and still exhausting. On the plus side, the lack of a gap will maintain momentum.

With the IPL nearing its end it provides time to reflect on the performances of the Sri Lanka players. Some of the guys have not had a lot of opportunities due to the four foreign player rule, but on the whole I think we have done well. I am sure the guys have also learnt a great deal. I know I have.

For me, the big thing about this tournament has been learning about the T20 game. It has been nice to identify my own game plan for T20 batting and I have been pleasantly surprised to have been making some decent runs. The key for me was realising that I need to base my game around solid cricket shots and not risk slogging.

During the past few weeks I have worked hard on this orthodox shots. I have practiced each one carefully, adding small little innovations here and there, or extending the range of the stroke (i.e. lofting the cover drive), but still staying true to batting fundamentals.

I can see that others have learnt a great deal too. Maharoof, for example, has been exceptional for Delhi. He has been one of the outstanding performers of the entire tournament, taking responsibility for his batting and bowling. He has bowled intelligently, showing good variation, and batted belligerently at times.

All in all, he looks to have been toughening-up mentally. And he seems very hungry to get back in the Sri Lanka national team. If his rate of improvement can continue then he can become a formidable all rounder for us.

Sanath has been outstanding in latter stages, showing glimpses of his best form. He seems to be playing with more confidence and greater freedom. Playing for Mumbai Indians rather than Sri Lanka may have helped him rediscover his form. It’s a different kind of pressure. He now looks less rushed and anxious.

Mahela has been playing a key role for the Kings XI. He has not made lots of big scores but that is because his role is to be a finisher in the middle. He’s done that in several matches, showing his coolness under pressure.

I have been hugely impressed by Nuwan Zoysa. He may not have played a great deal for the Deccan Chargers, but when he did play he showed that he has plenty of cricket left in him. His bowling and batting has improved and he deserves to be back in the reckoning for national selection, I reckon.

Murali has not taken lots of wickets but has been a lynchpin of the Chennai Super Kings bowling attack. Without him they’d never have reached the semi-finals. He’s been very economical and helped bowlers take wickets at the other end.

Finally, Ajantha Mendis made a great start with the Knight Riders. He has a tough character and knows exactly what he wants to do as a bowler. Remarkably for someone so young, he seems so unfazed by playing against world stars. He was a great signing for Kolkata.