But even from a cricketing point of view, there were some things to celebrate: all of them thanks to McCullum. The 27-year-old from Dunedin — a “heritage city” in New Zealand’s South Island known for its Victorian cityscape — played an innings that will take some beating over the next 58 matches.

Considered overpriced when he was bought by Shah Rukh Khan for Rs 2.8 crore, McCullum took a couple of desperate pulls to get going in Zaheer Khan’s first over. But by the time he had smacked the next two deliveries for a six and a four, he knew exactly what to do with every thing hurled at him.

Ganguly, Ricky Ponting and David Hussey were all relegated to bit parts as he lorded over the proceedings. The crowd was enjoying each shot, but there was also a strange disconnect with the proceedings — when McCullum was on 99, there was no silence of anticipation as the bowler ran in to bowl. It was only when the screen flashed a congratulatory message that fans realised he had reached the three-figure mark. McCullum finished on 158, higher than any score in international Twenty20 cricket, and took his Kolkata team to a winning total.

It was almost ironical that the openers coming out to chase 223 for victory were Dravid and Wasim Jaffer — known for their dogged knocks in Test cricket rather explosive hitting in the game’s shortest format.

The Bangalore team lost its way pretty soon. Dravid fell in the second over, Virat Kohli in the third, Jacques Kallis in the fifth, and by the time Jaffer walked back to make it 24 for four, the game had been decided.

... contd.