IPL 6: The (West) Indian Premier League!

With the Indians failing to live up to the mark this season and the Caribbeans shining brightly as if to emphasize their superiority as the World T20 Champions, one is compelled to wonder whether it’s time to rechristen this tournament as the West Indian Premier League. Let us take a look at some of the faces that have been in the news recently.

Chris Gayle

The moment you think about the Caribbean islands, the image that comes to your mind is that of one bulky Jamaican figure standing just outside the crease, stooping slightly. The very next moment, he wields his sword with some brutal force and the kookaburra (or its relations) vanishes into thin air. Behind that helmet, you see the eyes of the destroyer, and upon seeing those locks, you wonder whether Yama, the demon himself, has resurfaced onto the mortal world!

Behold the sacrilege in front of your eyes as cricket turns into a one-sided sport. The demolisher fumes with rage as he shows off his muscle-power that can terrorize any professional wrestler. The innocent humans who run in to deliver the ball are turned into scapegoats in no time. They struggle to overpower him, fail; then beseech and plead to him. But mercy has been long erased from his dictionary and he prepares to unleash the final shock of Gayle-Storm! The storm comes and goes and bulldozes everything in between. The ruins and the carcass – reminding him of the mutilation dished out – adorn his path as the slayer walks away humbly as ever, as if nothing has happened. Silence prevails.

Dwayne Smith

You’ll never suspect him of the murders he can commit. He just appears as another reckless bloke who takes nothing seriously. He’ll struggle, he’ll falter, and then he’ll ride his luck and unleash an array of strokes that’ll astonish you. He’ll go on with his business silently. He’ll stay there, choke you. You’ll only realize his worth after the damage has been done. You look at his face once again and it still reveals no expression – as if he’s oblivious to the miseries he has caused.

Kieron Pollard

Another tall muscular figure who you’ll feel can do the Gangnam style perfectly! Yes, he’ll do that, but only after he has jumped like Superman and caught the ball a few centimeters inside the boundary line. You gasp open-mouthed at the dive you just witnessed and he’ll cherish the enjoyment as he begins celebrating in his own style.

Next day, he’ll fail and when you are almost certain that he has flattered to deceive, he’ll come back on a stunning note like an attention-seeking child who can’t bear to not face the camera for long. He prefers to put up a dazzling cameo rather than build his innings. If you are looking for an ideal finisher who can squeeze out victories from any situation, well, here’s your man!

Sunil Narine

He came, he saw, he assassinated. And then he walked away with his prize. And then a smile – innocent and guiltless – one of those lighting-up-the-world smiles! That Mohawk hair, that short stature, those witty eyes, that childish smile – none would ever suspect the man lying behind that face. A smiling assassin they call him, and he gives a shy smile when you talk about that. Looking at those nimble fingers, you’d bet there’s something special with them. And that specialty is showcased once the crafty bowler gives his weapon an almost invisible tweak, and the ball – like a faithful servant – spins a mile and foxes the batsman, leaving him astounded and clueless. He points his index finger towards the sky; his job is done.

He is not just another magician, he is a mysterious magician. He won’t just cast a spell on you, he’ll leave you spellbound. While you are still trying to compose yourself and figure out what’s going on, it suddenly dawns upon you that you’ve been fooled. How or when – questions are useless, the underlying fact is that you’ve been stabbed – that too, by a sly wizard!