The midsummer madness saw 10 teams and their fans blowing hot, often tipping over the edge as tempers flared in the quest for cricket’s biggest trophy at the club level. It’s been a dream for some, nightmare for many as the unpredictable nature of the game’s shortest version triggered sudden swings, throwing quite a few established sides off-balance
After 65 days of pure passion that engulfed the cricket-crazy nation, curtains were drawn on the annual Indian Premier League with Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru setting the stage on fire. The champions defended their title with aplomb, handing a humiliating defeat to the Gujarat Titans at their home ground in Ahmedabad.
The midsummer madness saw 10 teams and their fans blowing hot, often tipping over the edge as tempers flared in the quest for cricket’s biggest trophy at the club level. It’s been a dream for some, nightmare for many as the unpredictable nature of the game’s shortest version triggered sudden swings, throwing quite a few established sides off-balance.
Amidst all this, one kid kept his composure, and feet firmly on the ground. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, thumped the world’s best bowlers to different parts of the field to come out flying with the tournament’s five top awards — the Orange Cap (for most runs, 776), Super Striker (for the best strike rate, 237.30), Super Sixes (for most sixes, 72), Most Valuable Player (for impact), and Emerging Player (for showing promise). The adorable opener carried Rajasthan Royals to the second Qualifier (a virtual semifinal) and captured the nation’s imagination, drawing huge crowds to his side’s matches through the season.
Ever since its inception in 2008, the IPL has grown gigantically. However, the police order to ban victory celebrations in Bengaluru reminded one of the chilling chaos that claimed the lives of 11 fans in a shocking stampede during RCB’s victory bash last year in the Garden City. If only our logistics were in order, and supporters who literally breathe cricket did not suffocate to death on the streets following a soiree.
Much more needs to be done to ensure the fans, who keep the game and its ratings high, are provided optimum comfort in and around the stadium — in terms of parking, frisking and a smooth passage to clean seats in the stands. That will truly elevate the event’s status to High PL.
