Has the IPL reached sporting perfection? Or as close as T20 cricket could possibly get to it?
According to the influential Italian sports writer and novelist Gianni Brera, who worked in the mid-20th century, the perfect football match should end 0-0.
He believed a goalless draw could contain the ideal balance of attacking prowess and defensive robustness, with no flaws – and therefore no goals.
All of which sounds nice, if a little dull, especially when set against the Lockdown IPL of 2020.
The IPL has found a way of playing off attacking excellence against increasingly extraordinary defensive skills, in high scoring games, that still end up in stalemates.
Four of the first 36 matches this season have ended in ties. Of the two that happened on Sensational Sunday in the UAE, even one of the one-over eliminators ended tied, too.
When the IPL was first created, back in 2008, it had two main goals. First, to base itself on the most luminous cricket talent money could buy.
And, secondly, to as good as guarantee that all sides are well matched, hence the regulations governing how franchises are able to recruit, retain, and trade players.
Never has the second of those aims been so clearly achieved as it has this season. The concept of parity peaked on Sunday when both matches went to a one-over eliminator.
Lockie Ferguson starred for Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first. Then came an even bigger thriller.
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Kolkata v Hyderabad Super Over: player ratings
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SUNRISERS HYDERABAD RATINGS: Kane Williamson – 7. Aggravated a hamstring injury in the field, but still came out to open the innings. He played a plucky role, too, with 29 from 19 balls. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Jonny Bairstow – 5. Gave it away tamely just as his side needed him to steady the ship after two quick wickets. He had been in fine touch till then. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Priyam Garg – 7. Undone by a fine bit of bowling from Ferguson, after his surprise elevation to No 3. Still in credit, after his brilliant catches to get rid of Gill and Rana. Sportzpics for BCCI -
David Warner – 8. Timed his push almost perfectly, only to miss out on the two needed off the last delivery. Heartbroken by his first-baller in the Super Over. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Manish Pandey – 5. As sprightly as ever in the field, but was on the receiving end of an unplayable yorker by Ferguson. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Vijay Shankar – 7. An unheralded and unthreatening fifth bowler for Hyderabad, but he performed admirably, with one for 20 off his four overs. His team needed runs, too, though. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Abdul Samad – 7. It shows the esteem in which he is held that he was brought in at the drop of Warner’s wicket in the Super Over. He played a fine hand in normal time. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Rashid Khan – 7. He was not quite as compelling watching as usual, but one for 28 from his four overs was still economical. Put up a fight in the Super Over. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Sandeep Sharma – 7. It was all going so well until Karthik deposited his penultimate ball for a six. Still, just 27 from his four overs was steady enough. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Thangarasu Natarajan – 6. Dismissed the potential game-changers Tripathi and Russell, and his figures would have looked so much better if his last ball hadn’t gone for six. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Basil Thampi – 5. Thampi has struggled to arrest a rising economy rate in IPL cricket. He went for 46 here, but at least got Morgan’s wicket off the last ball of the innings. Sportzpics for BCCI -
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS RATINGS: Rahul Tripathi – 6. He was bowled the ball after getting lengthy treatment for a blow on his right forearm from Natarajan, having made 23 from 16. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Shubman Gill – 5. The elegant opener has been getting plenty of good reviews, but his strike-rate needs work. His 37-ball 36 was soporific. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Nitish Rana – 6. Took responsibility for upping the rate with Gill going slowly at the other end, but fell to a diving boundary catch by Garg. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Andre Russell – 4. Looked disconsolate after another meagre return with the bat, and broken in the field after a hamstring niggle. Tough ask bowling the last over, all things considered. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Eoin Morgan – 7. He was set for his fourth red-inker of the tournament, only to hole out on the last ball of the innings having made 34 off 23 balls. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Dinesh Karthik – 8. Gives the impression of a different player entirely now the weight of the captaincy is gone. A sparkling late-overs cameo brought him 29 from 14 balls. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Pat Cummins – 6. A return of three wickets in nine matches might not quite be worth the outlay, but the $2m man was tight enough. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Shivam Mavi – 6. Had his work cut out bowling with the pressure high. Went for 34 from three, but was up for the fight. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Kuldeep Yadav – 7. Benefited from bowling in tandem with the pumped up Ferguson as he made a neat and tidy return with just 18 coming from his three overs. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Lockie Ferguson – 10. Where has he been all tournament? Got his Kiwi captain Williamson with his first ball, and was irresistible thereafter. Three for 15 in normal time. Two for two in the Super Over. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Varun Chakravarthy – 7. The spinner has become such a key player for Kolkata. This time round he took one for 32, although he did miss a tough catch, too. Sportzpics for BCCI
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Kings XI Punjab were bottom of the table, yet they took defending champions and favourites Mumbai Indians to two Super Overs, and eventually won out.
It was Punjab's second tie of the tournament. The previous weekend, they had lost a game by two runs, when Glenn Maxwell's shot off the final ball against Kolkata Knight Riders fell millimetres short of going for six.
More than any other side, their matches have been living and dying by the odd inch here or there.
Even in the stunning double-tie against Mumbai, all the major flashpoints were centred on such narrow margins.
Chris Jordan was run out just short of the second run that would have won Punjab the match off the last ball in regulation time.
The first Super Over ended with scores level when KL Rahul’s flicked throw beat Quinton de Kock to the stumps in a photo finish.
Once the sides had figured out the new eliminator regulations and gone back out, Mumbai might have had it won when Kieron Pollard hit the last ball of Jordan’s over towards the long-on fence.
Mayank Agarwal clawed it back while soaring in the air. Even that needed TV adjudication, to see if he had flicked the boundary marker in setting off, or while falling back down to earth.
He had not, and, with Chris Gayle’s help, settled the chase shortly after.
Given the finish, it was no surprise he was high on life when he fronted for his TV interview straight after.
“This is sport,” Agarwal said. “It can get hard, but you can definitely not live without it.
“The mindset was, we have nothing to lose. The first-ball went for six, then the pressure was off us.
“For a moment or two, the Delhi Capitals game [which they lost in a Super Over] went through my mind, but then it was a case of watching the ball and hitting.”
Jordan, for his part, felt his side deserved a break, given the previous close finishes.
“I feel like, the way we played this season, a lot of matches could have ended with us on the winning side,” Jordan said.
“That wasn’t the case, but I think in the last two games especially, the kind of team spirit and camaraderie we have been showing as an entire team, unit and franchise has been second to none.”
Now they get the chance to live it all again. Once their limbs, and emotions, have recovered, they will have to start again, having given themselves a shot at making the playoffs.
To think, as recently as 13 years ago, the IPL was not even a thing, and Indians were sceptical about T20 cricket. Thank goodness they came to their senses.
