Being the best can be somewhat poetic (but also a little cruel). In the topsy-turvy world of the Indian Premier League (IPL), finishing first in the league table, after all of your blood, sweat, sixes, and screaming fans, is meant to guarantee a spot in the main final. You deserve it. Sometimes, even after we have won all of the league games, the trophy will still elude us.
When Finishing First Didn’t Lead to Victory
If there is an IPL team that has the experience of peaking too early, then it is Delhi. Whether as the Delhi Daredevils or the Delhi Capitals, they know how to finish first and mess it up entirely.
Do you remember 2009? Sehwag was demolishing bowlers, and Delhi were flying at the top, finishing the league phase with 10 wins from 14 matches. The confidence? Sky high. And then the semi-final. The Deccan Chargers chased down Delhi’s 112 in 17.4 overs, obliterating any hope that the team may have had. Ouch.
And just when the Delhi faithful thought it had turned a corner, 2021 turned out to be a train wreck. The Capitals were sharp, strong, and consistent under Rishabh Pant, finishing with 10 wins in the league stage and then suffering back-to-back losses in the qualifiers: one to CSK and the other a gut-wrenchingly low-scoring final qualifying match against KKR. Three times on the table for first position, three times not making the finals. If that’s not a curse, I don’t know what one is!
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Gujarat Lions 2016: A Brilliant Run That Ended Too Soon
Delhi has a history of disappointment, but Gujarat Lions supplied no more than a one-off tragedy deserving of memory. They were green in 2016, and were fresh to the league and made their first season a shocking one, top, and captained by Suresh Raina, they looked good and aggressive, and stylish!
But IPL playoffs are where hopes die. In Qualifier 1, RCB (when peak Virat and ABD were accelerators on the TV) ducked them down, in a thriller. No sweat, at least they got a second chance. Here comes Sunrisers Hyderabad. Gujarat started a fight again, but another four-wicket defeat knocked them out. From the top of the league table, to also Rands, a rather rounded story in a week.
It was a timeless case of a team floundering, on the biggest of stages, and coming up light.
Why Finishing First Doesn’t Guarantee Glory
The teams at the top of the table struggling to win. They have got the players, and the form, it is timing. The league stage can ultimately come down to form, but the play-off stages are rat-races, high-paced pressure-cookers, where pressure, momentum, and situations often prevail over points.
At times, the teams that make the top 4 by the skin of their teeth seem to be able to hit their stride at the right time and put in their best performances. Teams like CSK and KKR have been through the playoffs lots of times, they know how to peak at the big moments. Other teams like Delhi have often looked quite out of sorts during elimination games, weighed down by the burden of expectations and the playoffs having never gone their way.
And for Delhi Capitals, should they finish first yet again, will they be able to rid themselves of the pesky ‘unlucky overachiever’ tag?
Let us know in the comments what you think – do you think being first is a disadvantage or a hurdle to overcome in the IPL?
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