Kings XI Punjab - the team which breaks my heart - (Cricket)

Heartbreaks, tears, tribulations...


Where is the joy?


Cricket, lovely cricket.


A short history lesson, the Indian Premier League is a T20 league in India played during April and May every year by 8 different franchises representing Indian cities. IPL was founded by BCCI in 2007 and first started in April 2008.


In April 2008, first start the baby of T20 Leagues which as of today is now 10 years old, an entire decade, surviving corruption, match-fixing and other scandals of varying sizes and proportions.


As a mad cricket fan watching this first league, the very first year which the ambitious tournament first set out to achieve something, no one quite knew what. As a result, attempting to pick a team to support was inevitably challenging as stars and legends were abounded throughout all the teams and squads and commentators.


How does one go about trying to support an unknown team? Who do I support? For better or for worse I chose Kings XI Punjab, primarily because I gravitated towards a known quantity - Preity Zinta.


Might I say at this point congratulations to Ms Zinta on her marriage last year, now known as Mrs Goodenough (heart shatters 💔)


Preity, ever since she became a star, has been known as the Dimple Queen, and believe it or not, (like Ripley's) (and like millions of her fans) had a crush on her since I saw her in Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come). An impressive romantic drama from 2003, well worth checking out.


But I digress, I came here today to talk about Kings XI Punjab and I got carried away.
Depressingly inconsistent, after having a stellar performance in the 2008, they had middling years until an incredible 2014 and then fell back into mediocrity again for 2015 and 2016.


An inconsistent auction selection strategy has caused the team to have flashes of brilliance and then let downs through poor performance, injuries and call-ups to various national teams.


As you can see from the table below, it's been a tough journey for the last ten years. Two great seasons out of nine is surely not good enough.


Supporting them over the years has been rough, the sadness of every one of their 71 losses, their at times inexplicable bowling decisions and weird batting choices, their confusing strategy of not having a fixed home ground, Mohali, Indore, Dharamasala.


Fun fact - most pictureresque cricket ground in the world - Dharamasala


I wonder who can make my wish come true, actually seeing them live? Slightly tall order that, considering I'm from Trinidad and Tobago. Yes, only slightly 😏


Matches that they have played with no spirit and not fighting to the bitter end, most times you know immediately that, yes, this is another loss. Somehow, someway I've stayed with them, coming back year after year, is it torture? Is it some form of punishment? Or is it that, I love cricket so much, that I know I'll be rewarded at some point?


Why do I support them again? Ah, yes, me=hopeless romantic=boy crush=Preity Zinta.

Year	Matches	Wins	Losses		Win %
2008	15	10	5		66.66%
2009	14	7	7		50.00%
2010	14	4	10		28.57%
2011	14	7	7		50.00%
2012	16	8	8		50.00%
2013	16	8	8		50.00%
2014	17	12	5		70.58%
2015	14	3	11		21.43%
2016	14	4	10		28.57%

Looking forward to IPL 10 - 2017, they've just completed their first win yesterday against Rising Pune Supergiant, under their new captain - Glenn Maxwell. A selection completely out of the norm. It's just so crazy it might work.


Here's to a great campaign, and fingers and toes and arms and legs crossed for Kings XI Punjab lifting the trophy (finally) on Sunday 21 May, 2017!