IPL Report Card: Kings XI Punjab

Performance
Mats - 14, Wins - 10, Losses - 4, No Result - 0, Points - 20

Position in Points Table
2/8

Results

Top Performers

Talent hunt
A big reason why Punjab finds itself second on the points table is its young talent and them striking form when required. Shaun Marsh has held everyone in awe with his consistency and ability to plan a big innings from the very moment that he comes to the crease. He surely looks like the kind that is going to win many more matches for Australia in the near future. The biggest wow factor that could possibly be about him is that for most of his life, he has been a lower middle-order batsman! And how well he has adapted himself to his new role as opening batsman, and the Indian conditions!

Marsh's Western Australia counterpart Luke Pomersbach deserves a mention here purely because of his ability to play his shots at will, no matter what type of ball is bowled. A shot that viewers will particularly remember is the slog-swept six off the full ball outside off-stump. This was very well demonstrated in the crunch game against Delhi where at one stage they needed to get well above 11 runs an over by the D/L method. Along with senior teammate Jayawardena, he took the team over the D/L par after 8 overs when the rain came pouring in.

Piyush Chawla may have been in senior Indian team circles long enough to be touted as the next big thing who will step into Anil Kumble's larger-than-life shoes. If anything was left to prove in support of the above statement, Chawla did it in the IPL. Since he isn't a huge turner of the ball, most of the pitches that weren't very conducive to turn didn't help him. What he relied on mostly was change in line, length, speed and flight. And of course, that googly easily reminds you of a young Anil Kumble.

Biggest disappointments
Prior to the tournament, opener Karan Goel had averages that read well above 40 in the T20 and List A formats but he has aggregated only 76 runs in 6 innings so far at a paltry average of 12.66.

West Indian Ramnaresh Sarwan has an ODI average of 44.12 but his showings in the IPL have been very feeble. His four outings have fetched him only 73 runs at a strike rate of 97.33, which is nearly criminal in this format. With the current playing XI gelling well as a unit, it hardly looks like these two will get a chance to play either in the semis or the final if they make it there.

Bugbear
There aren't many reasons to worry for the team management given that the team has managed to win many games quite comfortably and now is sitting pretty with a semi-final and potential final spot. Almost every player has come out with an exemplary performance when the situation demanded. One concern though could be the fourth and the fifth bowler. Sreesanth, Pathan and Chawla almost always bowl their full quota of 4 overs each. VRV Singh, Yuvraj and James Hopes come in to bowl the remaining 8 overs and therein lies a small problem. With economy rates of 8.82, 9.22 and 9.84 respectively, these overs could prove to be a costly affair. VRV Singh almost lost the away match against the Mumbai Indians, giving away 17 runs in that final over till a flying Yuvraj saved the day.

Standout performance
While this section could be filled with performances by Shaun Marsh, or a couple of attractive fifties by Sri Lankan keeper Kumar Sangakkara and Luke Pomersbach or maybe a decent spell of bowling by Sreesanth and Co, a real standout moment for anyone who watched the thrilling 1-run win over Mumbai has to be Yuvraj in his Superman avatar. The sight of him diving in from 15 feet away, 3 feet above the ground to run the last Mumbai batsman out is still etched in the T20 aficionado's mind. Yuvraj's captaincy too has been standout in the entire tournament. He has backed his players to the hilt; what could be more supportive than picking Piyush Chawla for a third game, even though his only two overs in the first two games went for more than 40 runs?

Trivia
1. Irfan Pathan has bowled 2 maiden overs in the tournament, which is the joint highest number of maiden overs by a bowler.

2. Shaun Marsh has the most 50+ scores (five 50s and one 100) in the tournament and also the highest average (74.12).

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megha bhami
Posts: 12

about sreesanth bowling
Reply #1 on : Sat May 31, 2008, 06:42:59

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sreesanth i really like the way u bowl especially when ur in a angry mood. i like the attitude of urs when ur bowling the way u control ur anger. u look superb when ur in a angry mood. u r a good dancer & u look most attracting when u smile. hope u will achieve ur aims & may god fulfill ur dreams. best of luck 4 the future.

gurjit
Posts: 12

about yuvraj
Reply #2 on : Sat May 31, 2008, 21:11:15

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yuvraj u r a very good captain. best of luck for the future

jeet
Posts: 12

about shaun Marsh
Reply #3 on : Sat May 31, 2008, 21:39:06

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shaun marsh's peroformances were outstanding good luck for future

Johnson
Posts: 12

Disappointing Yuvaraj
Reply #4 on : Sun June 01, 2008, 16:55:28

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I cannot beleive that Yuvaraj gave Sreesanth just one over in the semi final! Sreesanth was the best bowler in the Kings XI and still he was only allowed to bowl one over. Shocking captaincy especially when he does not make proper use of such a talented world class bowler. And that too in such an important match! Dissappointing.

Siddharth
Posts: 12

IPL on TV
Reply #5 on : Sun June 01, 2008, 17:33:39

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Well, I am 12 years old and I am Siddharth.. Im a huge fan of KINGS XI PUJAB, but while the game goes on in India, the time here is usually 10:30, 11:15, or 12:30 and thats when the game goes on and I am really frustrated from that.. I have not been able to watch 1 single full game of IPL! I think they should change the bloody timing o matches in India so the Aussies can watch it..

Deepanjali Parida
Posts: 12

Re:
Reply #6 on : Mon June 02, 2008, 04:02:40

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though they have not qualified for final.but the team effort is really out standing.yuvraj singh's captaincy is really good.they played like a team and consitency performance by shaun marsh.

vinod
Posts: 12

about punjab kings X11's game
Reply #7 on : Wed June 04, 2008, 07:38:33

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It's a marvellous team with all types of talents & i thought that this is the team that wins the IPL cup b'coz sreeshanth,piyush,irfan i think they hav don D best for their team Shaun Marsh an outstanding player of the series along with him Pomersbach,James Hopes & UV

harmeet
Posts: 12

semifinals
Reply #8 on : Thu June 05, 2008, 01:16:44

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i was quite sad when punjab lost in semifinals.
my firm believe was that mohali would win final

AJITH
Posts: 12

Re:
Reply #9 on : Thu June 05, 2008, 11:34:30

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yuvi...your captaincy was great...off days doesn't matters...wishes to see you kissing the gold next time........

gagan
Posts: 12

Re:
Reply #10 on : Sat June 14, 2008, 02:38:05

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i like kingsxi , best of luck for future, uv is king of punjab & sixes.

Kanu
Posts: 12

Shawn Marsh
Reply #11 on : Sun June 22, 2008, 10:56:55

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I want to say only one thing - "SHAWN MARSH WAS THE HEART OF KINGS 11 & IPL"

abubakar
Posts: 12

king 11 punjab
Reply #12 on : Tue July 01, 2008, 04:55:46

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heyyyyyyyy