This column is being written on the morning of the 68th match of the IPL to be played between Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow. Lucknow are at the bottom of the table currently and so can play without a worry as the result is not going to make much of a difference to them. Yes, they would like a win and hope that Mumbai don’t win their last game and so they can end up above the five-time champions on the points table. For Punjab, it becomes a must win game for, if they lose then they are out of contention for a place in the Playoffs. Rajasthan, who play Mumbai at the Wankhede in the penultimate match of the league, know that if they win the game then they qualify for fourth place in the Playoffs and then the last match of the league at the Eden Gardens becomes one of academic interest as Kolkata, even if they win won’t go above Rajasthan on the points tally. If Punjab don’t win and Rajasthan also lose then the final match becomes the one that could decide who gets to be the fourth team in the Playoffs.

The ‘last place’ battle

That the ‘last place’ battle for the Playoffs has reached the final day of the league is testimony to how the teams have improved over the years and there’s not that much difference between them. Yes, the T20 format is an unpredictable format and games can change in the matter of an over or so, and that’s what we have seen in several matches. There have also been matches which have been nothing but six fests, thanks to the beautiful batting pitches that we have seen for the matches. The ball has come on to the bat very nicely and so batters have been able to play through the line and also get under the ball and hit it over the top for those massive sixes. Yes, there have also been sixes which have barely dropped over the boundary ropes and with most grounds in India being on the smaller side, it is immensely frustrating for a bowler to see that it’s a six and not a catch.