Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One


By Gaurang
April 18 2016

One of the new teams formed in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Chennai and Rajasthan Franchises is blazing away to the top in the first week of IPL 2016.

Under the leadership of Suresh Raina and with the amazing batting consistency of Aaron Finch, the Gujarat Lions have roared to a 3-0 start.   Can they keep this up? or will they fall back into the pack?  Only time will tell.  But for the cricket crazy public of Gujarat they finally have a home team to root for.  It was a strange anomally of the IPL that the State with three First Class Teams, Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra didn't have a single IPL franchise of its own.  Now that has been rectified, and one can see the pent up demand from the Gujarati public.

The fact that the team was able to pick up remnants of the strong Chennai francise obviously helped, but one hopes that this experiment with a NEW francise lives beyond the two year period that the Chennai and Rajkot teams are banned from the IPL. 

With 14 matches to play in the full league phase the 3-0 start is nice but not determinative in any way.  If the Lions can reach the half way stage with a 5-2 record they should be strong contenders to reach the playoffs.  Here is the full schedule of the Gujarat Lions for IPL 2016

 

Mon Apr 11 (20 ovs) 20:00 local (14:30 GMT | 10:30 EDT | 09:30 CDT | 07:30 PDT)

3rd match - Kings XI Punjab v Gujarat Lions Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh LIVE N  |  Watch VIVO IPL
Partly Cloudy18 - 32° C

 

 

Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged)
Date: 18/04/2016 18:53

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:06:05:04:33:19 by Birbal.

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 21/04/2016 21:09

But they get MAULED by the lowly Sunrisers... to start week 2...

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 22/04/2016 18:29

Speaking of Lions I am reminded of a funny incident...

In the local Tennis Ball Cricket League, the team mostly of Afghan ex-pats named themselves the Lions. When I as one of the umpires in the finals clash (since my team had lost in the semis and therefore I was a "netural") asked them why they named themselves Lions they replied that because the best team in previous years had been a team mostly of South Indian guys called the Tigers, they named themselves Lions because Lions can beat Tigers...

Only problem was their Jerseys said LOINS....smiling smiley

The LOINS however did prevail...in the end. It was a brilliant close fought match...and I and my partner were also under tremendous pressure as umpires...from both Tigers and Loins...smiling smiley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:04:22:18:30:47 by Birbal.

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Akbar (IP Logged)
Date: 05/05/2016 07:38

Now Gujarat Lions are not looking one of 4 strongest teams in IPL.
That is off course my personal opinion.

4 strongest teams are :- KKR ,Delhi,Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Points wise , Gujarat are in top four but I don't expect them to make semis.

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: victorsteve (IP Logged)
Date: 05/05/2016 17:44

@akbar i agree with your opinion actually i am also a great fan of IPL and in my opinion a big responsibility come to suresh. he has to utilize his experience.

Free IPL Update Live: [play.google.com]

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 05/05/2016 18:19

A new team always has a hard time...Considering that Guj Lions have done well so far... but agree they may not make it to semis...or if they do...won't go further.

What can you say of RCB? Are Mallaya's off field woes reflected in their shabby performance so far?

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Akbar (IP Logged)
Date: 05/05/2016 19:14

Quote:
Birbal
A new team always has a hard time...Considering that Guj Lions have done well so far... but agree they may not make it to semis...or if they do...won't go further.
What can you say of RCB? Are Mallaya's off field woes reflected in their shabby performance so far?

RCB's only problem is bowling. Their bowling is very weak. They would have been bad even without Mallya's escape.
Their bowlers Starc and Badree got injured and strangely replacements are too weak.

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 08/05/2016 19:02

It's week 4 and Gujarat Lions are top of table after beating KKR... btw, that slip catch by Raina was SPECTACULAR ... one of the best EVER...

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Akbar (IP Logged)
Date: 09/05/2016 05:16

I did not expect them to win - let alone so convincingly.
Now there is a serious fight amongst top 5 teams to make it to top 4.
RCB , with their last win over Pune have an outside chance - but very low.

Re: Gujarat Lions Roar In IPL Week One
Posted by: Birbal (IP Logged)
Date: 15/05/2016 18:48

Now RCB DESTROY the Lions...with Gayle, Kohli and ABDV... RCB has the most FEARSOME batting line up in the IPL..

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