After a string of scratchy wins, Mumbai Indians put their best foot forward when it mattered most, to be crowned 'Champion of Champions'.

By Shashank Kishore

The beauty of the Nokia Champions League T20 2011 was not the glamour quotient, but the tournament format and the exciting cricket that aroused an evolution of the T20 era. This, at a time, when the credibility of the very tournament, which first kick-started in 2009, was questioned.

The fact that there was a qualifying stage prior to the start of the main tournament ensured top-notch quality cricket. And, this was vindicated after the finds of the qualifiers – Somerset, the dark horses made it into the final four, while Trinidad and Tobago made it a habit of fighting till the very end.

This year's tournament defied perception that the format favoured sides that started well. It was increasingly assumed that sides who started slowly would find it difficult to gather momentum towards the fag end.

In the end, it turned out to be a case of anti-thesis as was the case with the Warriors from South Africa, who missed the semi-final berth despite winning their first two games. And, that is where Nokia CLT20 2011 triumphed.

After week one, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost two games in-a-row, while eventual champions, Mumbai Indians, had to dig deep into the foreign reserves to squeeze out two wins. Neither side really threatened to blow the lid off with spectacular performances, but the turn-around was for everyone to see.

Ten days hence, defending champions Chennai were shown the exit door and Kolkata Knight Riders had to sit and pray for results to go their way. Totals in excess of 200 were chased down without a fuss, and centuries and five-wicket hauls from members of the same team ended in defeat. Seeing that in T20 cricket could be as rare as sighting the Haley's Comet!

It was also proved that T20 is not just a slam-bang game, where only the likes of the big-hitting Chris Gayle and Keiron Pollard make merry. Virat Kohli and David Warner proved that playing proper cricketing shots could be equally rewarding.

It was well reflected in the run-scorer list as Warner and Kohli garnered the first and third spot with 328 and 232 runs, respectively. In fact, Kohli played his two best T20 knocks in successive games, resulting in RCB's triumphs, while Warner's twin tons brought out contrasting emotions.

While one resulted in the defending champions being shown the door, the other ended in defeat in Bangalore, a venue which is soon gaining popularity as the 'Bull Ring' of the northern hemisphere.

The contrasting nature of pitches in Bangalore and Chennai also brought out the adaptability factor. While no total seemed a safe bet at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, any total over 120 proved challenging enough at Chepauk, as RCB discovered in the final.

The fact that at the end of it all the Champions weren't a side that won the country's domestic T20 competition, was what kept the tournament well and truly alive till the very end!