It would have taken a brave or perhaps foolish man to predict that after all eight competing sides in the tournament had completed their first game in the competition, that the newcomers would sit in the top four of the table.
Rising Pune Supergiants helped to launch the 2016 edition of the IPL, when they travelled to the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, to take on the reigning Champions the Indians. The Supergiants however, had obviously not read the script, and instead of playing second fiddle and losing an entertaining match to the Champions, they rolled Mumbai with some ease to collect the points.
During the recent World T20 Tournament, matches held at the Wankhede Stadium, had seen batsmen very much in the ascendancy. However, on this occasion, in the early stages it was the ball that dominated, with Pune’s seamers ripping the Indians batting line up to shreds. Reduced to 68-7, it was only some last lusty hitting by Harbhajan who struck an unbeaten 45 from just 30 deliveries, that lifted them to a final total of 121-8.
The Pune batsmen were not tested in the same way, as the pitch had lost most of its demons by the time they strode to the idle. Ajinkya Rahane scored a classy 66 from 42 balls, and the result was never in doubt, the competition debutants easing hoe by 9-wickets with over five overs to spare.
The Lions also travelled for their first game, taking on the Kings XI Punjab. While not winning as easily as Thursday’s opponents, they produced a performance that suggests that they will do more than just make up the numbers this season.
World Cup winner Dwayne Bravo was the pick of the bowlers taking 4-22. Before Aaron Finch led the gallop to their target of 162, with 74 from 47 balls. The Lions getting home with five wickets and over two overs to spare.