IPL 2019: Maybe IPL Needs To Go To The Gym – AB de Villiers On Late-Night Finishes
Apr 19, 2019 at 2:21 PM
Unlike every edition, this time the Indian Premier League has seen many IPL games crossing the line of the stipulated time. The franchises are involving in a late night finishes thus letting the skipper of the team with a Fine. Meanwhile, the RCB key player, AB de Villiers speaks on the possible precautions to avoid those.
Of late, the matches are going down to the wire and the skippers of both teams are least worried about that, as their primary focus is on winning the game. The game between KKR and Delhi Capitals, which ended up resulting in super over has seen crossing the mid-night time.
It is important to stay in shape – AB de Villiers
The South African superstar, in his article for Times of India, makes fun on time-lapse saying that the IPL needs to head back to the gym in order to come with a full fitness to finish the matches in a stipulated time.
He believes that three and a half hours is a precise time to finish the 20-over match, including breaks and strategic timeouts. AB de Villiers asked for a better discipline from the players.
“There’s no shame involved, and it happens to everybody in middle age, but it’s important to stay in shape. Maybe the IPL needs to get into the gym. Matches are supposed to be completed within three-and-a-half hours, enough time for both innings, strategic time-outs and a break. However, in 2019, IPL games have been running for longer than four hours, with matches starting at 8 pm and finishing well past midnight,” de Villiers wrote in his column for The Times of India.
Penalty?
Perhaps, AB de Villiers used all his funny thoughts in the crispy piece for ToI. He believes that the fine amount is nothing for the players, who can afford that money with ease. The star batsman compared the fine money to a diet coke of a person, who orders a giant hamburger.
“There is a system in place whereby the captain is penalised if his team fails to maintain the required over rate while bowling. This involves a fine for the first offence followed by suspension, but the impact of these measures appears minimal, roughly equivalent to the weight loss of an obese gentleman who orders to giant hamburgers and a diet Coke!” de Villiers wrote.
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What Could b the fix?
Giving a suggestion, AB de Villiers wrote quoting that the break between the innings must be reduced, which can make an impact on the time. He doesn’t feel 20 minutes is important to start the second innings.
“One easy fix could be to reduce the break between innings from the current 20 minutes to a manageable 10 minutes When a super over had been completed to decide the match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, it felt as if it was time for breakfast,” de Villiers wrote.
Well, it would be interesting to see how they would counter this in the upcoming games of the Indian Premier League. Already Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ajinikya Rahane of Rajasthan has been fined INR 12 Lakhs each.