Lalith Modi announced recently in a press conference that IPL 2nd edition would be help in
over 15 venues this year. Already Ahmadabad has featured in list of cities which is going to
host IPL along with franchise cities.
Possible new cities which could showcase IPL matches are Nagpur, Rajkot, Indore,
Dharamsala, Cuttack and Baroda. Even though it is not officially confirmed, Lok Sabha
elections which overlap dates of IPL had left with no other decision other than this.
Cricketing experts like Kiran More and Amre expressed great joy, stating that such a move
can fulfil the dreams of small town people of seeing both Tendulkar and Jayasuriya in single
team or world class players competing each other. In fact these grounds when hosts test
matches sees no crowd turn over. T 20 can be the correct weapon to pull the crowds back
to ground.
The biggest beneficiary of these dramas and controversies are Himachal Pradesh Cricket
Association cricket (HPCA) ground at Dharmasala. In fact it was announced that two IPL
matches would be conducted in that ground.
Sanjay Sharma president of HPCA has said that, flood lights will be installed in ground at
expense of 6 crores. The work has been already kick-started and it would be over within
month time, by which IPL would be starting.
It’s a great impetus for the cricket association and crowd in that region which would get the
taste of IPL and also sure it would increase reputation of cricket in those regions. Those
cricket boards are not rich to spend crores of amounts in installing flood lights, but with IPL
once distant dream is fortified into a reality. Even Delhi cricket grounds got floodlights
facilities last year because of IPL Delhi franchise.
No doubt IPL has not only renovated the interest of cricket on public, but has played a huge
role in revamping infrastructure of cricket grounds and boards which are financially
underperforming.
HPCA president Sanjay Sharma has expressed hope that IPL matches would boost their
chances of claim of hosting International matches in very near future. Installation of
electronic score boards in all the stadiums where IPL is going to be held is another bonus
for the associations.
With proposals that IPL would be even played in Bangladesh, it’s a fact that it is crossing all
horizons and setting standards for globe to stand and take notice of. Things do look quite
optimistic for cricket and India.
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