Top 7 Most Interesting Facts about the IPL
Get knowledge of some of the most interesting facts about the IPL and what it holds in store for the cricket fans
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is literally like one of the biggest festivals in India and many other countries. Every cricket fan looks forward to this annual tournament where some of the biggest cricket legends join their franchise teams to bring glory to their respective teams. The batters do not fail to show their skills with a consistent line of fours and sixes. The bowlers struggle to take wickets and protect the number of runs on the board. It’s a combination of excitement and adrenaline that pushes people to the edge of their seats. IPL is definitely one of the most viewed cricket tournaments in the world today and it continues to attract the attention of fans.
If you are all set with your IPL plans this summer then you can also check out some of the best online cricket betting apps in India to join the added fun and enthusiasm that IPL brings to your doorstep. Let’s check out some interesting facts about IPL that would surprise you completely:
1. The IPL was started as a rival to the ICL that was launched by the Zee Group. In fact, the BCCI told players that they would be banned from cricket for a lifetime if they participated in ICL. The BCCI did not support the ICL at all as they carried the liberty and the responsibility of all cricket matches in the country. Later, Lalit Modi, who was the chairman of BCCI at that time, launched the IPL and the BCCI claimed that they had been planning the series for 2 years and were set to launch it in 2007.
2. Bowlers love to make history and take as many runs as possible. Their primary goal is to take the important wickets so the team is not able to collect runs on the board. When the IPL was launched, a number of eyes were on the screen to see how the format would be played and what kind of performance would be seen. Interestingly, the first wicket of IPL was taken by Zaheer Khan in the IPL. With his proficient bowling, he took the wicket of Sourav Ganguly who was also the first batsman to face the first IPL ball.
3. As OTT was not a big deal back in 2007 and hardly any platforms were launched in India, the broadcast rights for IPL was given to YouTube in 2010. Before this, the IPL could only be seen on the cable TV channels that were available. Later on, the broadcasting rights for the IPL became a bidding match between some of the best OTT platforms that are currently in place in the country. Last year, the broadcasting rights were won by the Jio Cinema App that was still in its initial phase and acquired a good amount of viewership with the rights in its corner.
4. The player who has taken the maximum number of catches in the IPL until now is Suresh Raina. He holds the record and is often considered to be one of the best players that the IPL franchises had seen. Although he has retired now, he still holds records in different formats of cricket and continues to challenge the best of the cricketers when it comes to making records and playing cricket at its best.
5. If a team has confidence in their captain, they do not need to keep switching it. Especially when a captain is bringing continuous success and glory to the team, there is no need to change the captain at all. Chennai Super Kings is one team that has never changed its captain and continues to put its faith in the cricket legend – Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
6. Batters are expected to make runs in the cricket matches that they play. Their primary goal is to get the maximum runs on the board to make sure that the other team is not able to chase them. Chris Gayle is one batter who has made history in one form or the other in every format of cricket until now. In the IPL as well, he did not fall short of the expectations that were laid on him. The batter has made the highest number of runs in IPL until now with 175 runs. No other batter has been able to chase the score.
7. Winning the title is the only goal that a team has in any format. Whether it is international cricket or franchise cricket, all teams want to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament. Although the Chennai Super Kings have performed exceedingly well, Mumbai Indians have taken the crown the maximum number of times. The team has been able to beat the records and carry the maximum number of wins in its corner in IPL until now.
There are many more interesting facts about the IPL which makes it all the more important for Indians. Keep reading to know more about the IPL in the future.
