Chasing 137 runs, the Mumbai Indians floundered against aspirited Sydney Sixers and fell short by 12 runs. The margin may have lookedclose but the Indian team had given up much before the last ball had beenbowled.
This display was in line with the performances of the Indianteams in the Champions League T20 tournament taking place in South Africa. Lastweek when Jean Symes of the Lions spanked a four through mid-on he eliminatedMumbai and Chennai. As defendingchampions and the most successful franchise in the IPL, Mumbai and Chennai weretwo of the fancied bunch. Now, they have nothing but self-respect to salvage,and that kept them motivated when they played each other. They would however hope that the survivingIndian team in the tournament, the Delhi Daredevils restores their reputations.This wish will also be entertained by the organisers. An Indian team in the semi-finals means alarger television audience and hopefully more revenue. Nothing wrong, but for this focus on Indianteams kindly blame the format.
With four IPL teams, two South African franchises and twoAustralian gaining automatic entry into the event, the rest are right to feel alittle left out. Of the remaining full member countries, two, Zimbabwe andBangladesh were not even invited to qualify while the other five were give twospots to fight over. Even those were not evenly handed out as England wereallowed two teams in qualifying while Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka wereonly permitted one each.
The answer lies where so many other answers do: in money.When a novel concept like the CLT20 was mooted, its intentions must have beento play a real league of champions. The boards of India, South Africa andAustralia quickly realised the only way they could make money out of it wouldbe if more Indian teams were involved to appeal to larger Indian audience, whothe advertisers pay to target.
What would the world be without money? India can only hopethat the Delhi Daredevils can restore the reputation of the IPL teams. Afterall even India would not like to watch their teams lose.
