IT'S IPL TIME!

IPL (Indian Premier League) is not just a format of Cricket, it is an emotion for Indians

The excitement starts more than a month before the actual start. The whole nation waits for the IPL. This year, the national cricket frenzy is set to start from March 31 and conclude on May 28. IPL is one such occasion where players of other nations are welcomed as 'Indians'. Dhoni from Ranchi has become 'Thala' for Tamilians. Kohli of Delhi has become Bengaluru's Sweet Heart (Also a national sweet heart). David Warner of Australia, Chris Gayle of West Indies, AB Devilliers of South Africa and a lot more have become close to India and closer to Indians, through IPL.

It's no surprise that fans were eagerly waiting for IPL 2023. It's nothing short of a celebration and a month-and-a-half festival. IPL is probably the best franchise league in the world. What makes the IPL the most popular and the best league in the world, of course, is the lucrative contracts and presence of the best cricketers in the world. 15 seasons of IPL has been completed and the craze for it is increasing year by year. IPL 2023 is the 16th season. It is owned and operated by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).

The BCCI founded the IPL with the purpose of stopping ICL organized by ZEE Entertainment Enterprises, which got started in 2007. Contemporary BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi was the man behind the birth of IPL after India's 2007 T20 World Cup victory.

Back in 1995, the planner of IPL, Lalit Modi proposed an idea of a 50 over format competition, but the officials of BCCI rejected it. Just imagine as to how could it have been if the IPL was a 50-over format.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic and other related reasons, the league was held at neutral venues and after a period of four years, the league has arrived home (regardless of the fact that IPL was held at Mumbai, because it was limited to only in Mumbai).