18th April 2009 is unforgettable day in the history of cricket It is a date when the inaugural match of Indian Premier League was played. There have been many tournaments played in cricketing history including World Cups and many memorable matches which gave us unforgettable moments, but this has to be the most special event for the following reasons:-
The beauty of Indian Premier League lies in the fact that the following categories of cricketers are eligible to play in this format
1) A very young talented 18 year old, who is yet to begin a career in First Class Cricket can get selected.
2) A Regular First Class Player waiting for a first ever call to the national team.
3) A player who has lost his place in the national team, trying to make a comeback.
4) A fringe player increasing his possibilities of playing for the national team.
5) A retired player like a Gilchrist or a Warne, wanting to prove that still they are the best, which they actually achieved
No other format in the history of cricket, or any other game can boast of a tournament which accommodates a player who is yet to play a first class match to a player who has already retired from the game. No other format allows a unknown 18 year old to rub shoulders with the greats of the game like Gilchrist or Sachin.
The Format Gives Equal Benefits to All Teams.
Indian Premier League especially the inaugural edition played in 2008, had a format which treated all teams alike. The plus points of the format were:-
1. Each team gets a match on their home ground.
2. Each team have to play a match in their opponents ground.
3. Each team gets to play 2 matches. The reason behind this is in case a team lost a match simply because they had a bad day, they have another match against the same team to set the record right.
Friends become Enemies and Enemies becomes Friends.
1. Sourav Ganguly has never ever been in the good books of Australians but Ricky Ponting plays for Sourav Ganguly'team. People who swore against each other play for the same team.
2. Ricky Ponting is the world's best captain, yet he has to play under Sourav Ganguly.
3. Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasurya plays for Sachin's Mumbai Indians and hits another Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis out of the attack. That is perfect example of commitment for a team and being disloyal to the country and teammate.
4. Kumble and Laxman were considered unfit to play for one dayers, but find themselves captaining their respective teams with Kumble even leading his team to the finals in 2009 edition of IPL.
5. If we are supporting Hyderabad we cheer for Australian Gilchrist to hit our own Indian Anil Kumble for sixes and fours.
In this format, there is so much excitement and interest around that a fan does not know which team to support to or which player to support. That is the beauty of Indian Premier League.
LONG LIVE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE.
Regards
Satish