Kumar Sangakkara: Greatness comes easily

Being a new franchise and possessing a batting line-up short of destructive power (apart from the always-classy Kumar Sangakkara and Australian Cameron White) hasn’t stopped the much-unfancied Sunrisers Hyderabad from being the Little Engine that Could of the Indian Premier League. Admittedly, Sunrisers possesses a formidable opening bowling attack—consisting of South African Dale Steyn (the best bowler in the world, bar none, at the moment) and the always interesting Ishant Sharma. Plus, Amit Mishra has shown himself to be very handy with both bat and ball. They’ve made a habit of pulling victory from the jaws of defeat and may just be the most exciting (and nerve-wracking) team to watch—despite being managed by the generally unflappable Tom Moody.

I (Martin) am supporting Sunrisers this year because (1) my local deli owner, Kazim, is from Hyderabad and he makes a mean soy latte, and (2) because a bomb in the heart of the city killed 17 people earlier this year—very near where, so Kazim tells me, he used to hang out. Supporting the Sunrisers reminds me that terrorist outrage is not confined to the United States, and that those who suffer from it are our neighbors as well. In Kazim’s case, almost literally. Go Sunrisers!