Rain and thundershower may mar DPL T20 as DDCA declares fixtures

DPL T20: Following a 15-day unexplained delay after the player auction, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) finally announced the Delhi Premier League (DPL) T20 fixtures on July 22, despite two factors likely to significantly impact the matches. The major threat is the rain and thundershowers forecast for most of the days of the August 2–31 tournament.

The last five days clash with the domestic season-opening Duleep Trophy. This clash of dates may impact not just the two finalists but the teams that will contest the Qualifier 2 encounter too, as a few of their top players may be required to represent the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy. Since the BCCI organises the Duleep Trophy, the franchises will have to let go of the selected players, if any.

This year, the Duleep Trophy has returned to being an inter-zonal competition. Since Delhi is part of the North Zone, a few top players are expected to be selected for the zonal team, which could weaken a couple of DPL franchises.

With the addition of two new teams in this second season, eight franchises will contest for glory in the men’s category. Therefore, the number of matches has also gone up to 44 for men, while seven matches will be played in the four-team women’s competition.

There are 12 double-header days during the month-long tournament, with the first game starting at 2 PM and the second at 7 PM. All seven women’s games will begin at 2 PM, while the men’s matches are scheduled for the evenings. August 12 and 14 are designated as off days due to the Independence Day rehearsals and celebrations.

Interestingly, one of the double-header days, August 9, is the Raksha Bandhan festival, when brothers tie rakhi on their sisters’ wrists. This has annoyed some people. “That would create a problem for players and us [franchisees], but that is fine. We will have to rush to tie the rakhi and then head to the matches,” said a source in one of the four teams that are to play that day.

Also read: Delhi Premier League to start on August 2, women’s competition from August 17

Rain Threat Looms Large

According to AccuWeather, rain and thundershowers are likely to lash Delhi throughout August. Its ‘monthly forecast’ for the opening day of the tournament on August 2 is “Cloudy; a shower in spots in the morning followed by a little rain in the afternoon.” Rain is forecast for 2.5 hours that day.

A similar forecast exists for the day of the final on August 31, with one hour of rain likely. It’s possible that the DDCA has reserved a day for the final on September 1, with an eye on potential weather disruptions.

Last year, when the maiden edition of the DPL T20 was played from August 17 to September 8, three matches, including a semi-final encounter, were washed out. One of the team owners contesting a washed-out match insisted on playing the match, even after the match officials had declared the soggy ground unplayable due to the rain. It took a lot of persuasion to calm him down.

However, the DDCA appears to have taken no lessons and delayed the tournament, while several state associations have already completed their T20 tournaments.

Teams adapt to rain threat

Practice of various teams has already been affected by rains and the resultant wet ground conditions in Delhi and across the NCR. Some teams have been hopping across the NCR to find suitable places for training and practice. West Delhi Lions have been going from one place to another in search of dry surfaces to play.

“Our team is practising at different grounds in Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram because sometimes there is rain, while at other times there is some other problem. So, we are shifting them according to the weather,” Anuj Sharma, owner of the Central Delhi Kings, told Patriot.

Various teams’ coaching staff are also well aware of the massive rain threat that looms menacingly. That is why the chief coach of at least one franchise is making his players get used to batting and bowling in shortened matches and also the Super Over, which is also used to break the deadlock in case of tied scores. Some teams are even playing ten-over matches during practice with the same aim.

“The way rain is upon us here in Delhi, you never know when your DPL matches will be reduced to a Super Over tie-break. We have no control over rain,” a senior chief coach of a franchise told Patriot.

This coach’s proactive approach reminds one of the 2007 T20 World Cup that India won under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. Then bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad had made the players practise bowling in the Super Over, which was used differently at the time. The team that had more hits at the open stumps would win. India famously defeated Pakistan via the Super Over in a league match and went on to beat them again in the final.

New format for men

This year, the eight teams have been divided into two pools. Group A comprises the new franchise Outer Delhi Warriors, Central Delhi Kings, New Delhi Tigers (the second new entrants), and North Delhi Strikers, while Group B includes West Delhi Lions, defending champions East Delhi Riders, last year’s runners-up South Delhi Superstarz, and Purani Dilli 6.

Here, too, some people have questioned the DDCA’s decision to club both the winners and runners-up of the last edition in one group. “Ideally, they should have been in different groups. We don’t know what logic the DDCA has applied while placing both finalists in one group,” said an observer.

Each men’s team will play a double round-robin (two matches in a home and away format) with three teams from their own group and then will play a single round-robin (one match) with the four teams from the other group, making it a total of 10 games. The top four teams will enter the playoff round.

The four-team women’s competition will have six matches, to be played in a round-robin format from August 17–24. The top two teams from the league stage will qualify for the final.

Also read: India to host chess World Cup in October-November 

Pataudi Medal is for all home and away Ind-Eng Test series: Sachin Tendulkar

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has clarified that the newly initiated Pataudi Medal of Excellence would be presented to the winning captain in all the India–England Test series, both in India and England.

There was some doubt whether the Pataudi Medal would be presented in the Test series played in India as well, apart from the series played in England. “Yes, the medal will be for both, home and away series,” Tendulkar told Patriot in response to a query, removing the doubt.

This medal was launched after the Pataudi Trophy, named after former India captain Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and launched by the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2007 to mark the 75th anniversary of the first England–India Test series held in England in 1932, was discontinued. Additionally, the newly launched Andersen–Tendulkar Trophy, which replaced the Pataudi Trophy, will be presented to the winning team.