Finally, a win!

I am now happy for Rahul Dravid and the Royal Challengers. Just a few thrilling minutes ago, they defeated Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings by 14 runs, finally moving the needle beyond 2 wins (where they have been stuck for the last month or so). At the end of the Bangalore innings, the target was a modest 127 runs- something that would normally have been a walk in the park for MSD and co. But today, the fates willed otherwise. Aided by unquestionably their best bowling and fielding performance so far in the tournament, the Royal Challengers pulled off a very creditable win. Kumble, whose 4 overs fetched him 3 wickets for a miserly 14 runs, was the deserving man of the match. Dravid top scored in the match, with 47.

With charectristic candour, Dhoni admitted that his team was a tad over-confident. With equally disarming honesty, Dravid acknowledged the relief at finally winning a game. Many of their previous 10 games were close, but that they have won only 3 of their 12 games must surely rankle the entire team. Steyn, Boucher, Misbah, Kumble…. everyone had a smile. And why not? Go Challengers! You still have the opportunity to salvage a wee bit of pride.

This result- and the outcome of the other game today (where Mumbai lost to Punjab by a solitary run)-means that it is still not entirely clear which two teams from among Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata will join Jaipur and Mohali in the semi-finals.

The next week or so promises to be even more interesting than the last few weeks have been. Watch this space as the mystery unfolds….