The Indian Premier League started in the year 2008, and it completely changed how T20 cricket was seen across the globe. Eighteen years down the line, the tournament has become a massive success. The IPL has become so big that even the best international players love to enter its ecosystem and be a part of the league. The massive bids during auctions are just another encouraging factor for players to aim to play for IPL franchises. As time flies, the marquee event continues to grow, with an even more promising future.
The credit for the IPL’s start and its success goes to Lalit Modi. While he was the founder of the tournament, he also served as the first chairman and league commissioner of the marquee event until 2010.
While speaking on Doordarshan Sports, former India player and ex-BCCI selector Saba Karim revealed that Lalit Modi pitched the idea of franchise-based T20 cricket back in 1997-98, around 10 years before the start of the IPL.
“Many people don’t know that Mr Lalit Modi came up with the T20 franchise cricket concept in 1997-98. Long before the IPL actually started, he submitted a proposal to the BCCI suggesting the creation of a league like it. There was no concept of T20s back then, it was primarily ODIs,” said Karim.
He revealed that a few Bengal players even agreed to be a part of the idea, but it just didn’t materialise.
“We were going to make a team for Bengal. We had even signed a contract with them. It was decided that there would be two to three players from outside in each team,” Karim detailed.
“It did not materialise due to various reasons. But it remained in our minds that we should have a league like this,” he added.
In the latest development from the IPL, a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group completed the acquisition of the franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday. The consortium, which includes Indian billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Aditya Birla Group, the Times of India Group, David Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures, and US-based Blackstone investment, will pay $1.78 billion (more than Rs 16,000 crore) for the defending IPL champions.
Meanwhile, another franchise, Rajasthan Royals, has been sold to a consortium led by US-based entrepreneur Kal Somani. The consortium reportedly acquired 100 per cent of the franchise at a valuation of $1.63 billion (Rs 15,286 crore).