By finishing in the top-two, you have a double chance of making it to the final. The new system rewards the teams with the best record over the course of the league and makes it harder for those sneaking in third and fourth by making them play a straight knockout and then another match against the loser of the first qualifier.

I've had a few x-rays in my cricketing career and, although you pretty much know whether there is a fracture or not, it's still a relief when it shows up negative. It was a fierce blow, which I took off my own bowling against Pune.  Mumbai will have exactly the same motivation as us on Sunday --- a place in the top-two. The intensity will be that of a final. I cannot wait.

Hawkeye