Cricket,always associated with the britishers,and known as a gentleman's game ,is undergoing a transformation and by the time it stops all definition of what constitutes cricket may change.In the brief history of the game first came the test matches,a form which lasted over five days.The most common result was a draw until you were playing a third world country.The one day internationals during these times were of 60 overs.Then came a version promoted by Kerry Packer who asked the different teams to wear different colours.The ODI gradually came to be of 50 overs.But even this short version of the game was deemed to be too long.So in the country of its birth the game transformed once again and became twenty20 i.e. it became a twenty over game.
It is with this background one must see the spectacle unfolding today in INDIA named the Indian Premier League.With cricket gradually losing its place in the country of its birth (UK),the mantle was taken up by India and its neighbouring countries to keep the game alive.The indian cricket board flush with funds decided to come into the fray mainly to counter the threat to its monopoly by subhash chandra(owner of zee tv) who thinking on the lines of kerry packer, started ICL.(One of the main reasons for doing so was to get material for his new sports channel).
BCCI, which owns the cricket related activities in India(and is not a government body surprisingly!)came out with full might to promote IPL and looking by the early results seems to have succeded.First it promoted eight City teams and sold them to the highest bidder.These eight teams are...
1. Delhi Daredevils
2. Kolkata Knight Riders
3. Rajasthan Royals
4. Mumbai Indians
5. Kings 11 Punjab
6. Deccan chargers
7. Chennai Superkings
8. Bangalore Royal Challangers
After the sale of the teams came the drama of contracting players with each team paying tonnes of money to get their favorites. MS dhoni went to chennai for 7,50,000 pounds.And other international players getting a good deal too.The money involved was so much that grumblings could be heard from England whose players were not allowed to take part in it by their own board.
Its been two days since the tournament started and already the records have started tumbling.Mc Cullum scored the highest runs(158 with 13 sixes) and M Hussey made the fastest century(in T20,116).Mc grath took a maiden wicket in t20.With the spectacle to continue over the next month it promises to become a greater event than the world cup maybe.
Now we see the new transformation of cricket.Here nationality matters not,nor does the technique;What matters is whether you can entertain the crowd or not.The purity,the essence of cricket is going to die a quick death in the face of corporate mega event and fast bucks.
God save cricket!
If you want to catch live feed goto: www.iplt20.com
I watch all the matches here!
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