Déjà Vu for MI
A year has passed since Mumbai Indians’ forgettable Champions League campaign in South Africa but the script continues to have an eerie resemblance. The 2011 winners bowed out in the group stages after suffering a defeat in the first game and a wash-out in the next and their ongoing journey seems to be running on the same path.
Rohit Sharma’s side, who suffered a seven-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals now face an uphill task after incessant rain forced the Group A fixtures here at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The four teams as per the rules were awarded two points each. The reigning IPL champions next play Highveld Lions on Friday and face a must-win situation. They are at the bottom of the pool and their qualification will also depend on how other teams perform.
The city that had been reeling under scorching heat last week witnessed a dramatic transformation as the heavens opened up soon after the toss of the game between the Lions and Perth Scorchers. Alviro Petersen’s decision to field first was washed away as a heavy downpour lashed the ground leading to formation of huge puddles.
The groundsmen were caught napping as barring the centre and side pitches rest of the field was exposed. Even the main square was covered with only a single sheet while the designated umpire area remained unprotected.
The boundaries were flooded and unrelenting showers and strong winds forced umpires Richard Illingworth and Paul Reiffel to call off the match at 5.07 pm, well before the cut-off time of 6.40 pm.
Unconfirmed reports said that 40,000 fans had bought tickets for the two games and over 10,000 stayed back to watch Sachin Tendulkar in action despite the weather gods showing no mercy.
While they were swayed by emotion, the Indians had prepared for the eventuality as only the liaison manager and media manager turned up at the ground. On expected lines, the second match was called off at 7.30 pm.
The drainage at the ground is one of the best in India as despite being completely submerged in 2010 ahead of the first Test against New Zealand, it was back in shape in two days.
While the damage is not that severe this time, the staff will need some sunshine to dry out the damp pitch and outfield and with heavy showers forecast for the next two days, their job could only get tougher.
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