IPL

Finally The IPL saga came to an end with a match that was indeed worthy of the final – the clash of the titans. What a match it was! The ultimate cliffhanger that went down to the wire. Though there have been a few close finishes in the IPL but this match stands apart. The sheer thrill and the roller coaster ride which the match went thru kept the viewers glued to the tv screens.
I was obviously supporting my home team – the Rajasthan Royals. But frankly speaking when rajasthan needed just 1 run of the last ball, I wanted the match to result in a tie so that decision would be based on ball out. This would have made the match the perfect final one could ever dream of.
Rajasthan royals who were initially considered to be underdogs, made it clear in first few matches that they could not be taken lightly at all. And halfway through the series it was quite certain that RR will be on of the teams in the finals. After the much hyped teams like Royal Challengers, Mumbai Indians and Knight riders gave some very ordinary performances, the semifinal picture started becoming a bit clear. In the end the two best teams met for the final clash.

The IPL T20 spanning for 45 days was exemplary in many aspects:-
1)The mega event’s opening ceremony (courtesy Viajy Mallya) was one the best I have ever seen. It showcased the new face of India – full of technology and glamour. That was because of Mallya’s Glam touch – everything he touches becomes glamorous ;)
2)The money involved in IPL was enough to make the world get a taste of the India’s shining story. Though only subtly, it was an indication of India’s burgeoning economy. After all it’s not commonplace to see corporates and celebrities shelling some astronomical sums of money on players and teams and at the same time viewers willing to pay anything from Rs 250/- to Rs 35000/- just to see a match which doesn’t even involves the national team. Also it made ICC realize the capability of BCCI as the richest cricket governing body which yields enough power to take cricketing sport to a new level.
3)Although the IPL format may have been inspired from other tournaments like the EPL but even then the scale at which it was organized and the preparations done for it were exemplary. The ICL (Indian Cricket League) which started before IPL was not able to exploit this form of cricket. This was because IPL was under the aegis of BCCI and that indeed is a huge advantage.
4)IPL was a win - win situation for everyone. BCCI earned more than its yearly income from IPL itself. The players undoubtedly took home whooping amounts of money. As regards to the investors - seeing the popularity of the game – their teams are on way of becoming money spinners for them. The owners of RR have break even in the first season itself.
As for the the viewers – all have different views. For the connoisseurs of the game, IPL may have been the best thing to happen after invention of cricket itself. It ensured 45 days of nonstop action filled evenings. For some others, it was a total waste of time and money. I feel that the tournament was really good, but it was a bit too long.

The IPL matches were attended by celebrities, bollywood actors, singers, ministers and all the who’s who of the country. Even the politicians and many other people who in normal circumstances are so busy that they can’t find time even for some serious issues made sure that they attend at least a couple of matches, after all what is a better way to gain some media coverage. The scale and grandeur of IPL ensured them a lot more publicity than even page 3 parties.

One thing that has been conspicuously missing from my write up till now is the mention of cheer girls. This was one the controversies (IPL had its fare share of them) that clouded the IPL.
IPL introduced to India the concept of cheer girls. They are said to boost the morale of the teams and fans alike. In india this concept gained popularity for some very obvious reasons and at the same time some moral policing ensured that nothing was left unturned to make it a burning political issue. Indian society is indeed getting a lot westernized – that’s what people call as opening up of the society and introduction of cheer girls is a another step towards this. Whether it’s for good or worse depends on a person’s individual views.

The second controversy which got a lot of media coverage off the field was the Harbhajan – Srisanth isuue. Harbhajn’s slapping of Sreesanth was an egregious incident. It was not only detrimental to the spirit of game but also brought bad name to the country. It also gave Australians a chance to point fingers at BCCI or Indian Cricket at large as the whole country had stood behind harbhajan singh in the Symonds - harbhajan incident and Ricky pointing made sure that he didn’t miss the opportunity.

Barring these couple of incidents IPL has been a huge success. Now it remains to be seen whether BCCI is able to carry it forward and create the same level of enthusiasm and interest in the viewers year after year.