Page 216 - IPL 2

Even when their batting and bowling weren’t coming
good, the Royals were livewires in the field.

alien conditions, South Africa toward the end

of their season. Conditions that even the senior
cricketers were not sure about. The doubts got

confirmed on opening day in Capetown. The
Rajasthan Royals were starting their campaign

against the Royal Challengers. The defending
champions playing against the team placed 7th

in Season 1. Even a toddler would know who the
favorites were.

On that beautiful evening, in front of a capacity

crowd at Newlands, the story unfolded rather
differently. It wasn’t the Royal Challengers

victory that was surprising, it was their
destruction of the Royals batting. The defending
champions were skittled out for 58, the lowest

team score in the IPL. What they feared as an

uphill tasked was beginning to look like a wall,
a thick one at that. But, if anyone relishes a
challenge it’s Shane Warne, and this is what he

did best. He made people comfortable. He made
the cubs believe that they were lions. He did this

by playing like a lion. On and off the field. The
famous Shane Warne declarations had started

before the tournament. “He’s my tornado” was
what Warne said about Kamran Khan said at

a press conference before the first game. He
backed it up by showing faith in the youngster at

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