Let’s not get too sentimental, but Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians as two genuine legends of the Indian and world game say their respective farewells is a final no one can have any qualms in looking forward to.
Rahul Dravid (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It’s time to see Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in Twenty20 action for the final time and watch them bow out in front of an Indian public rightly grateful for the entertainment they have provided.
The Champions League t20 (CLt20) 2013 ends with the same IPL franchises on the field as when the first match of the main draw was played on 21 September, but this time there’s a trophy up for grabs and a sub-plot bigger than the tournament itself.
Trinidad and Tobago, Chennai Super Kings and Otago Volts in their respective ways all nearly gate crashed the party, but the CLT20 Hollywood script has been acted out perfectly.
Neither Dravid nor Tendulkar have shown their greatness in CLT20 2013, but it is not for this tournament they will be remembered. Dravid has captained the Royals expertly and Tendulkar has become the first player from the sub-continent to pass 50,000 runs, creeping past that landmark in the semi-final. But step back from this last three weeks and these A-listers of cricket have more than earned the right to sign-off in style down the years.
This is a clash of two IPL titans, a fitting final, where either side can claim the tag of favourite. Dravid’s team, who have built an impenetrable fortress at Jaipur are now tested in Delhi. Sachin’s Mumbai are used to the high scoring surface and are peaking at just the right time after a sluggish start.
TEAM NEWS
Sachin Tendulkar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For Rajasthan Brad Hodge misses out after limping off the the field with a knee injury on Friday. He is a big miss for the Royals having made key contributions when it really mattered. He is replaced by Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera. Mumbai are expected to field the same team that served them well in the semi-final.
ONES TO WATCH
For the Royals, Pravin Tambe goes into the final with 10 tournament wickets, one behind Sunil Narine, and no batsman has mastered the guile the veteran spinner musters. An economy rate of 3.93 is ridiculous. Shane Watson is ominously yet to come off with the bat and Stuart Binny has to be one of the most underestimated one-day cricketers.
For Mumbai, Rohit Sharma, their captain, has looked silky smooth at the crease, mixing elegance with belligerent hitting. Dwayne Smith is crucial at the top of the order and with the ball Nathan Coulter-Nile has been thumping down the yorkers when most needed.
A VERY SPECIAL GAME
Depending on your viewpoint the Sachin Tendulkar / Rahul Dravid farewell fest cannot be ignored.
Together they have mustered 102 runs off 121 deliveries in nine innings - they’ve not challenged the man of the match adjudicators once. But in India, in recent times, there are no players who have graced the domestic and international stage like these two.
There are few times in sport where fate allows two geniuses to wave goodbye in appropriate fashion. Today Dravid and Tendulkar get to do that together.
This game is special.
Related articles
- CLT20 Mumbai Indians to take on Rajasthan Royals in final as Trinidad bow out (cricketbadger.com)
- CLT20: Rahul Dravid delight at Rajhastan Royals continuing home run with comfortable victory over Sachin Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians (cricketbadger.com)
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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