New Delhi: Two teams in the final and fans are bound to predict their favourites. And thus stands a 50-50 possibility. Going beyond it, predicting details like runs scored, sixes to be hit – may be considered as mere timepass or a fool's game. But what if it turns out right? Well, there is one in a million possibilities which narrows down to Aryabhatta's creativity, but this social media user proved all realms of mathematics wrong. Wondering how?
While Mumbai Indians went ahead to script history, becoming the first team to win three IPL trophies, when they defeated Rising Pune Supergiant in a pulsating Sunday finale at Hyderabad, there was this one Twitterati who made predictions, much ahead of the match and almost all of them were right. Not just the winner, but every detail from toss to the last-ball thriller.
"No matter which team wins toss RPS has to bowl first. Means if rps wins the toss it will choose bowling...Mumbai will take batting if wins" – was his first tweet and indeed it was right. MI had won the toss and elected to bat first. And this was tweeted on the day before the final.
No matter which team wins toss RPS has to bowl first.
Means if rps wins the toss it will choose bowling..
Mumbai will take batting if wins— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
His next tweet was, "Rahul tripathi will be out under 10 runs." The young opener scored just three runs off the eight deliveries that he faced. So another hit at the bull's eye.
Rahul tripathi will be out under 10 runs
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
Third tweet – there will be zero no balls at Sunday's final and once again the user was right. None of the bowlers from either team over-stepped the crease.
There would be total 0 no balls
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
His fourth tweet is even creepier – "Mumbai will bat first and make 120 to 130 run and will win." And, boy, did it happen! Opting to bat first, Mumbai Indians hustled and bustled to post a paltry target of 130 runs. And a tenacious MI bowling unit restricted the Pune Supergiant to win by just one run.
Mumbai will bat first and make 120 to 130 run and will win
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
Are these tweets sending a chill down your spine already? Well, there are five more to go ,so hold on to your nerves. His next tweet was, "Parthiv patel will hit under 10." Much was expected from the opener, given that Parthiv is Mumbai;s highest run-scorer in the 10th season, but he fell off in the third over scoring just four runs.
Parthiv patel will hit under 10
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
His next tweet – "Steve Smith will play with strike rate less than 100" – and this is probably the only one that went wrong, that too with the narrowest of margins. Steve Smith scored 51 off 50 deliveries with strike rate of 102.00.
Steave amith will play with strike rate less than 100
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
His seventh prediction – "Polard will hit 1 six." Kieron Pollard has always been an aggressive middle-order batsman, coming down to the pitch with a responsibility to nootch up a few boundaries and add as many as possible to the scoreboard. But Sunday night was just not his as the West Indian seven runs off 3 balls which included one six.
Polard will hit 1 six
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
"Smith will be highest scorer" – was his penultimate prediction and yes he was right once again. The RPS skipper notched up a fifty with was the highest for his side. Rahane's knock of 44 stood next.
Smith will be highest scorer
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
And finally, his last prediction – "Mumbai will win in last over." Rohit Sharma's men in blue did wrap up Pune's high hopes of a maiden title in a nail-biting last over encounter to win by just one run.
Mumbai will win in last over
— Cricket Insider (@theDcricket) May 20, 2017
As inhumane you may consider, as impossible you may say, eight out of nine predictions is beyond the explanation of even the greatest mathematicians and physicists. Strange, yet true!
