Be it Manchester United coming back from the brink of defeat against Bayern Munich in that fabled Champions League final in 1999, or Novak Djokovic winning a gruelling five-set epic against Roger Federer on the same day as the Cricket World Cup final in 2019, what has forever been celebrated in the annals of modern sport is the winning mentality. Rather, the almost obsessive zeal to win that separates the best from the rest.
The 1999 World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa was won – yes, it was a tie, but the result took Australia through to the final – not by skill, but by this absolute determination not to lose. Damien Fleming against Lance Klusener, having conceded back-to-back boundaries was a no-contest. Yet, Australia managed to eke out the result they needed from the jaws of defeat. Each of these achievements is now part of sporting folklore.
Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, it can be argued, have both imbibed this rather extraordinary habit of winning from difficult situations. Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya were going strong and Lucknow Super Giants were cruising by the first timeout. Piyush Chawla and Akash Madhwal then flipped some switches, and Mumbai won. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan out in no time, and then the counterattack from Cam Green and Suryakumar Yadav was a statement of intent. Yet again, Mumbai managed to come back and earn a well-deserved victory.
The ability to soak up pressure and excel in trying circumstances is something that both Chennai and Mumbai have managed to show time and again in the IPL and that, more than anything, explains why they have nine titles between them, a number that could well swell to 10 on May 28.
The know-how to win, and remain competitive and hungry. Three different pressure moments sum up the Eliminator in Chennai. The first was Green and Surya seizing momentum after Lucknow had picked up two early wickets. Once 60 came off the powerplay, Mumbai were always going to post a competitive total. And the moment the score went beyond 180 in a knockout contest, it was always going to be hard for Lucknow. This was more so with Quinton de Kock left out for Kyle Mayers, a decision that will be debated as a gamble that did not come off.
The second moment was the Krunal shot completely against the run of play. Lucknow had recovered after the loss of Prerak Mankad and Mayers, and with Stoinis in real good form, were looking ready to make a match of the chase. And that’s when Krunal, leading in KL Rahul’s absence, had that brain-fade. The moment he holed out, the gates opened. Once they were five down in no time, Lucknow had no chance. After four wicket-less overs for 38, and then that shot, Krunal had a day to forget.
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Finally, there was the spell for the ages from Madhwal. Knowing well that a couple of good overs and the match could still swing Lucknow’s way, Madhwal did brilliantly to put his hand up when it mattered the most. At one point, he had figures of 2 overs for 3 runs, with 3 wickets. Having already picked up a 4-for in Mumbai’s last game, it was yet another brilliant effort from their new go-to man.
The Madhwal effort was the first instance in the history of the IPL of a bowler picking up a five-for in a play-off game. Mumbai have played this entire season without Jasprit Bumrah, while Jofra Archer barely played before breaking down again. That they were hardly missed in such a crucial game is the highest possible tribute one can give Madhwal.
It is this ability to deliver under pressure that sets Mumbai and Chennai apart. CSK had not beaten Gujarat Titans in three previous attempts, but they did so in a game that mattered. Mumbai had lost all three of their previous games against Lucknow, but in a knockout game, they proved far too strong.
Every player who plays sport at the highest level has a special set of skills. What separates the good from the best is the ability to execute these skills under pressure. Not to bowl a full toss or a long hop when you are aiming to bowl a yorker or a wide delivery outside the off stump. Not misjudging a catch under the lights when you know at the back of your mind that a missed opportunity may well result in the match going the opponent’s way.
Finally, when you have captains who just hate to lose. MS Dhoni and Rohit are the best that the IPL has seen, along with the late, great Shane Warne. It is only natural that both of them are headed to Ahmedabad. Rohit saying at the presentation that he had always been confident of getting there summed it up – the winning mentality is what makes these two teams special.
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