When T-20 Cricket Isn’t Just Cricket

To the neutral fan, the final was underwhelming. Neither Royal Challengers Bengaluru nor Punjab Kings, both seeking a first IPL title, tried to seize the game by its throat. Both, instead, waited for the other to falter.

Neither team played its natural game – they played the occasion. Which is why Tuesday’s final that RCB won will be more remembered for its human drama than what transpired on the pitch.
Over 18 years, Virat Kohli and RCB have become synonyms in franchise cricket – the cricketer’s messianic appeal found nationwide backing for the city team. On Tuesday, the sight of Kohli in tears of bliss connected with millions. His personal emotion became a public memento.

And it is extremely tragic that the much-awaited celebrations that followed in Bengaluru were blighted by the death of several fans.