Finally it came on the scene. After months of hype and hoopla, it was there for all of us to experience. I had a very busy day at the office (it sucks sometimes), but was able to sneak in periodically at the opening ceremony details at Cricinfo. The commentator had tried his best to put up as close a description as he could in words, but it only served to act as an appetizer for the real razzmatazz going out there at the stadium.
As soon as I returned home from office, I switched on, if that is a correct word, my YouTube. There was everything - frenzy and fireworks, drama and dance, cricketers and cheerleaders. Every single piece of writing on IPL has devoted a special mention of the ‘Washington Redskins Cheerleaders’. So, I wouldn’t buck the trend. T20 Cricket has brought the hitherto unrelated glamour, read sexuality, to cricket. It started with the World Championship last year in South Africa, and it seems this aspect is going to be inextricably associated with a T20 match henceforth. But the deliberate ballyhoo created over the arrival of seemingly jaw-dropping cheerleaders from Washington, on special invitation from Mr Vijay Mallya, did look a bit out-of-sorts to me. But only initially. After all, who doesn’t want an appeal for eyes, if the cricket gets exciting or boring. Only if the ever-fidgety gang of ShivShaniks suddenly don’t decide to resume their moral policing act.
After the cheerleaders, cricketers too must get some space. And buoy, didn’t McCullum decide to get his own at the most opportune time he could have. Even in his wildest dreams, he wouldn’t have thought to be the cynosure at such a grand stage in India, far away from his land. Ah! it was weird - just to see Ponting smiling after doing a good bit of fielding, Kallis fuming at his being taken apart and above all, SRK dancing live in and for a cricket match. We have indeed moved in a strange unknown zone.
I watched the matches live held today. I didn’t know whom to support. While it was boring at times during Mohali v Chennai match, the electrifying atmosphere in the stadium during Jaipur v Delhi match got me excited again. The cricket played has been nothing to write about. Only biffs, blips, blobs …., but it is the bling associated with this Business cum Bollywood that has made me bonded to it blithely. In my ‘B’ alliterative mood, I substituted Business for Cricket, but I can surely be forgiven for this blasphemy here by the purists. After all, isn’t IPL a Business? And see, I am not complaining, at least for the time being.
