Defying all odds, IPL caravan rolls off the block Saturday

M Subramoney

Cape Town, Apr 17 (PTI) Defying all odds, the second
edition of the cash-awash Indian Premier League, a heady
cocktail of cricket and entertainment, gets underway in its
adopted home with a mouth-watering double header here
Saturday.

It will be a double delight at the Newlands Stadium
Saturday with back-to-back matches featuring some of the best
contemporary cricketers in this slam-bang version of the game.

Under the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai Indians will
lock horns with last year's runners-up Chennai Super Kings,
led by the charismatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

And before the crowd actually catch some breath, maverick
England batsman Kevin Pietersen will lead Bangalore Royal
Challengers onto the field, hoping to shed last year's
laggard's tag.

The task would be easier said than done because Rajasthan
Royals, under the wily Shane Warne, would be hoping for an
encore and the defending champions would definitely love to
start their campaign on a winning note Saturday.

More than any team, it, however, would be a triumph of
the indomitable spirit of the organisers when the 59-match
razzmatazz finally rolls off the block Saturday.

Considering how the league's fate hung in balance after
its dates clashed with India's general election and the Home
Ministry back home cited its inability to provide security for
the tournament, IPL authorities have moved mountains to make
the entire thing possible.

IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi and his team burnt midnight
oil first to find a base away from India and then making the
necessary arrangements befitting an event of such stature.

South Africa, set to host 2010 soccer World Cup, sensed
an opportunity to host a world class event and both the
government and the cricket board went out of the way to
facilitate all arrangements.

The only apparent blemish is the absence of Pakistani
players who were barred by their government from playing in
India due to the strained relationship between the neighbours
in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Even though IPL was eventually shifted to South Africa,
the Pakistani players had their contracts either terminated or
suspended.

Some of the Australian players, including captain Ricky
Ponting and Michael Hussey will skip the event, opting for
some rest, while injuries will keep the likes of Brett Lee out
of the event.

However, their absence has been compensated to a large
extent by the inclusion of a host of Englishmen, including
Pietersen and his talismanic teammate Andrew Flintoff.

Besides, this year's IPL would blood a host of exciting
youngsters, including South African sensation JP Duminy
(Mumbai Indians), explosive Australian youngster David Warner
(Delhi Daredevils) and unheralded paceman Kamran Khan
(Rajasthan Royals).

Warne scripted a rags-to-riches story last year by
leading the Royals, cheapest IPL squad, to title glory but
things would be tougher this year.

The team would sorely miss last year's best bowler Sohail
Tanvir and most valuable player Watson, which considerably
weakens the squad.

In contract, Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings loom determined
to go one better this time and the inclusion of Flintoff would
lend a formidable look to their batting line-up which also
includes Matthew Hayden.

Under their swashbuckling captain Virender Sehwag, Delhi
Daredevils would also fancy their chances this time,
especially after adding the buccaneering Warner and bringing
Ashish Nehra from Mumbai Indians which lends much balance to
the side. PTI