Ball 0 - IPL 2009 Final: Anil Kumble to Adam Gilchrist.
A silent wave rises above the din of the drums and the sound of 40,000 screaming die-hard fans.
The tension mounts.
Those soldiers were legends, and they were about to make myth.
Everyone can feel it.
This moment belonged to the wily old soldiers; they had the right to enjoy it.
A quiet tap to cover. In a game waiting to explode, it is the calm before the storm.
Ball 3 - IPL 2009 Final: Adam Gilchrist and the Deathly Rattle!
But the Chargers are not to be rattled, as Suman proves when he hooks Praveen.
In the next over, Praveen gets Suman, who’’s caught in the covers by Pandey.
Which means it ’s time for Symmo ’s Ammo. Will he fire?
Oh no!
He certainly does! Dravid drops Symmo ’s ball!
And insults follow that mistake, as Symmo shows no mercy.
58-2
The fox returns. And so does Symmo, his ammo has run out!
3 down! Sharma walks in, and so do the runs.
70 … 80 … 90 … 108-3. Gibbs and Sharma. Sharma and Gibbs. 50 runs off 41 balls!
This has to stop!
That boy Manish! Sharma goes.
I have to stay till the end!
Followed by Venugopal.
But Gibbs, oh the mighty Gibbs. 50! With a 6.
What seemed to be a typical start turned out to be not so typical.
144 in 20! I’’ll take that!
The final countdown begins. Who will be the last team standing?
A charged up DC take the field. RP hits back!
Kallis trudges back to the dug out. Kallis rocks! 4! 4! 4!
20-1 Van der Merwe hits!
But Ojha hits back!
They fight like gladiators. Fierce! Blow for blow! Cut for cut! Primal instincts taking over!
57-3! The action cuts to … 68-3!
Song! Dance! Drama! Bollywood meets cricket!
And Dravid meets his end!
Ross pulls and pulls ahead.
We have to get Ross!
Yes, Boss!
DC and RCB. They beat the odds. Now they are even. 45 runs - 34 balls - 5 wickets. Can Boucher make his mark?
Virat certainly can ’t.
And Boucher can ’t either.
And Praveen Kumar was just marking time.
Uthappa wants to win. Vinay wants to win.
The only problem is that Harmeet wants to win even more than they do.
This is it. 15 from 6. Can their IPL 2009 miracle stretch a little longer?
12 from 2 required!
RCB needs 2 sixers.
The Chargers need 2 good balls.
The Charge of the Chargers! Their day ends in triumph.
And they are more than ready for IPL 2010!