Indian Premier League: 5 reasons why it is right to call it India ka Tyohar!

By Piyush Kumar

It is beyond any doubt that Indian Premier League- the self proclaimed 'India ka Tyohaar' (Festival of India) is a success story. It is a money minting tool for the organizers and participating players; at the same time, it is a dose of adrenaline and excitement to the viewers and fans. Though, marred by various controversies, from match-fixing to public brawls, somehow, IPL resurfaces every year with the same fanfare. Let us leave aside the negative aspects for today and focus on the positives it has brought.

Short-cut to glory

IPL has been a boon to less known or unknown players from different regions. One brilliant knock and a player erupts on the glorious side of fame. Sarfaraz Khan, a 17 year old teenager, hogged the limelight with a single innings of 21-ball 45. It paid off immediately with former England player David Lloyd's tweet, urging English County teams to rope him in.

Super entertainment in 40 overs

Whether a CEO tired of enduring corporate pressure or a research scholar who has performed failed experiments throughout the day, all need something to cheer them up by dinner time. IPL takes up that perfect slot with 40 overs of non-stop entertainment. So what if rumors of pre-fixed matches prevail. Who cares! Don't we enjoy scripted movies and plays? Moreover, the sight of cheerleaders dancing on boundaries does cheer up gloomy faces! A tired person just wants some stress buster at the end of the day. IPL succeeds in doing that.

No Infidelity issues!

IPL is great for both – fans and general viewers. We all have one or two favorite players in each team. One can enjoy sixes of Chris Gayle in spite of being a supporter of Rajasthan Royals or Chennai Super Kings. This makes IPL unique. And one can always shift sides and start cheering for the winning team. No hard luck involved and always a win-win situation for viewers like me who stays away from fanatics.

Expanse of cricket infrastructure

With the inclusion of more teams, cricket will expand beyond big cities. This will not only provide more opportunity to local lads, but also lead to development of stadium and other infrastructure needed for the expanse of cricket.

Progress of other sports

IPL has shown how money minting and sports revolution can be carried out at the same time. The success of IPL is now being emulated in other sports and games. The success of Pro-Kabaddi and Indian Super League (Football) means that the largely neglected players from sports other than cricket can also be rewarded with money and fame. Such forays into more such games will follow soon.