When it comes to make people go crazy with rich and tasty food , greeting visitors with the top level of hospitality , celebrating the festivals with big heart and bhangra, the name which strikes our mind is PUNJAB. If one wants to feel what it feels like to be Punjabi, watch Kings XI Punjab play in IPL 6.We are in the third quarter of IPL 6 but we’ve had it all. From the nail biting finishes to the superovers, Gayle’s storm to Dhoni dhamaka, gambhir dropping a sitter to Pollard plucking a absolutely blinder of a catch; this IPL has given everthing that a die hard cricket fan could ask for.The Indian Paisa League, as known to many, has always attracted millions and millions of people right from its first season. This season has been no different, in fact it has been the best of all six editions. Chennai has made it to the playoffs with 5 games still left in their kitty, Rajasthan has once again silenced its critics putting up an excellent show of team game, Hyderabad with new franchise has been magnificent but the real tastemaker has been the Punjab team.
The Kings XI have been the salt of this year’s IPL dish even when they have not performed well as they are currently placed sixth on the points table.Gayle played the best innings ( as regarded by the experts) of IPL, RCB featured in two classic superovers, Delhi and Pune were unlucky on few occasions, not to end on the winning side in some close fought matches but Punjab was involved in the top 3 matches of this season.Yes, without any doubt, all the top three matches has featured Punjab. What’s so inspiring to see is the way the kings XI team play. Youngsters have been playing from the start and great amount of faith has been shown in them by the team management and on occasions they have proved their worth in the team. There have been no real changes in the playing XI so far. Gilly has under performed from last two seasons but still he has the been the man for the kings XI team to look up to.Many would say that Pune and Delhi were involved in the closest matches this season but I can bet that no one has played the way Punjab has played. 4 continuous chases of score more than 170 and they made a match out of every chase.The match against the Pune in which they chased down 185 was the best of the current season until last night where they outclassed the Bangalore team.Many would rate Gayle’s knock of 175 as the best IPL innings but to me it was Miller’s 101 that has to be the best, just for the simple reason- PRESSURE!Gayle’s hasn’t played a single substantial innings when RCB were chasing this season. This includes his score of 49 also because RCB were chasing a score of 117 against the Rajasthan Royals. On the other hand, Miller has been brilliant under pressure. 4 fifty plus scores in last 4 chases and that too at the strike rate of more than 150.Punjab made the Mumbai Indians fans skip their heartbeats when they nearly chased down the score of 174, in the end faltering by only four runs, thanks to the all important stupid game changing decision by the umpires in the last over.To my best of knowledge, no team has given other team a run for their money the way Punjab has done on 4 different occasions, not to forget that on all the 4 occasions they were chasing more than 170.At the moment, they are ranked 6th on the points table and only their hardcore fans would believe that they can make it to the playoffs.To me, cricket is about passion more than anything else.it doesn’t really matter if Punjab fails to make it to the playoffs, what really matters is the way they have played in the second innings. I just wish that are made to chase in all their remaining matches and that too a score in excess of 170 because at that time everyone would feel that its not about winning and losing, its about playing with heart, playing with Punjabi flare.Chasing in excess of 170 will be the time when Punjabis will be on their feet because that time would be “THE MILLER TIME” and everybody in the stadium would be chanting a phrase ” If its in the V, put it in the tree and if its in the arc, hit it out of the park”.
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