| What a dream run! Indian Premier League (IPL) has | | | | 3. Glamour. IPL organisers deserve a salute to be able |
| taken centre stage in the world of cricket. Who | | | | to attract so much glamour and glitterati on one |
| would have believed that a couple of years ago? | | | | stage. You name it and you have it! Shah Rukh Khan, |
| Indian Club Cricket holding sway in global arena!!! The | | | | Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, Mukesh Ambani, Vijay |
| second installment of IPL drama had cricket | | | | Mallaya, Katrina Kaif, and the list keeps unfolding. |
| aficionados crying for more. The runaway success of | | | | Then you also have some big international band |
| the tournament was there for all to see. Global | | | | playing for you at the tournament. And glam girls as |
| audiences watched scintillating cricket thoroughly | | | | Cheer Leaders act as icing on the cake. Do you want |
| mesmerised, while we in India rejoiced that our | | | | to miss any of it? I doubt. |
| religion (cricket) has finally got global recognition. Full | | | | What most of us may fail to register are two major |
| credit goes to Lalit Modi and his IPL management | | | | spin offs that IPL is giving to India. Firstly it is building |
| who made this dream come true. | | | | Brand India in the eyes of global population. India's |
| What did one like most about the tournament? The | | | | Club Cricket being played on foreign soil as far |
| first answer that jumps to mind is "everything". If | | | | removed as South Africa! And that too so |
| you fail to agree with me then read on. We will | | | | successfully that IPL becomes the centre point of all |
| proceed step by step on a journey of critical analysis | | | | activities of that country!! Even the General Elections |
| of this juggernaut called IPL. | | | | in South Africa took a back seat to IPL fever that |
| | | | gripped the country. World media and by extension |
| 1. Quality of Cricket. There is no denying the fact | | | | world public are bound to wonder. To cap it all this |
| that quality of cricket being offered on IPL stage is | | | | venture called IPL is worth $ 2 billion, may be more. |
| world class. Barring T-20 World Cup there is no other | | | | In just two years such an adventurous venture is |
| platform where you can find half as many world class | | | | already a financial success. I wouldn't blame the global |
| cricketers displaying their cricketing skills. In fact IPL | | | | populace, especially the sporting world, if it sits up |
| may be considered better than T-20 World Cup by | | | | and takes notice. |
| many. That is because the argument goes like this. | | | | The second commendable point that IPL has scored |
| T-20 World Cup doesn't feature some swashbuckling | | | | is by garnering loads of goodwill for India through |
| senior stalwarts that IPL does. Case in point are | | | | charity. Generous donations given by IPL to various |
| irresistible veterans like Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, | | | | organisations enhancing educational and sporting |
| Anil Kumble et al. | | | | facilities in South Africa is simply magnanimous. Such |
| 2. Fanfare. The build up to IPL tournament is simply | | | | gestures will take IPL and India a long way in building |
| breathtaking and you wouldn't like to miss out on the | | | | bridges of friendship across nations. |
| hype created for all the gold in the world. Because it | | | | Now the question arises as to what would we like to |
| is this build up which sends your adrenalin rushing | | | | see different in IPL-3. Well on all aspects discussed |
| leaving you to contend with goose pimples. The | | | | above, we would like to see IPL doing better and |
| propaganda machine of IPL and its teams rev up | | | | bigger. That said there is also a dream that somehow |
| your expectations for some blood curdling duels on | | | | IPL should reach out to non cricket playing countries |
| the cricket field. And bang! The show starts with gala | | | | and spread our religion further. With IPL anything is in |
| Opening Ceremony and teams baying for each | | | | the realm of 'possible'. So lets pray and hope that |
| others' blood. Taking cue the organisers throw in | | | | Lalit Modi and company can pull off this last bit of |
| every trick in the book to regale crowd as the | | | | magic. Cheers to Lalit Modi! Cheers to IPL! And cheers |
| tournament progresses. Who would want to miss out | | | | to Indian cricket fans! |
| on such world class fanfare that IPL offers? Not me. | | | | |