NRIPL !!!!

Cricket is more than just a sport, some say its a religion in the country. And here comes the second edition of the much awaited form of the game, T20 --- tantadantadannn --- IPL ( I feel Non Resident IPL would be apt, SAPL also is an alternative name, what say? ).  Its almost halfway through, the TRPs have fallen, but then organisers are happy. The viewers also seem to be contended, for I see everybody around me following it.

I feel something is lacking. The game is certainly an entertainer but much of the excitement and thrill originates from the roaring crowds. As the organisers say more the 90% of them watch the matches through television, but its not just the players who make them stick to the TV sets, its the atmosphere in the stadium, the feeling of the game held in our own cities and towns.  But do the organisers care for all this. IPL needs to learn  thing or two about managing sports from EPL, from which it is grossly inspired.

BCCI the richest board among the cricketing nations, wields indisputable power and influence in circles of ICC. How much thought has Lalit Modi or BCCI put in into the IPL? I wonder how political biggies in board like Sharad Pawar completely forgot about the General elections to be held this year. Because they were too busy making deals with sponsors, (IPL is estimated to bring in $1bn for BCCI alone in 5 to 10 years). The irony --- Sharad Pawar is one of the proposed Prime ministerial candidates. Annihilating ICL, blame game with the UPA are prioritised than the actual game. 

Government and the blame...! There is no doubt that in a democracy, elections come first. Few states were adamant about providing security, but they have got some right reasons if not all. Post Mumbai attacks ( and even before that to be frank) security in this nation is a cause of grave concern. No Government would take a chance, that too before elections. And it has become clear that we are still lacking the drive and the laws enacting stringent security measures, and all that reactions and emotions after the attacks are just out of impulse.

The international image of India which is already pathetic in this aspect has taken a beating beacuse of this whole tamaasha. The other international events (not just sports events) would be definitely effected by this. 

People associated with cricket, news media grandly declare that Cricket is the ultimate winner. Yes it is but at the cost of national reputation, at the cost of revenues that could be generated internally and the way cricket lovers are taken for granted, without a doubt I say at the cost of the sport itself.