I will admit there was a time when I saw T20 cricket as an evil but I'm a complete convert since the IPL.
Best cricket on the planet!
I know I should support the predominantly SA team the Sunrisers . . . and I do . . . but I'm loyal to the Rajastan Royals and rate Yashasvi Jaiswal as a future superstar.
Thanks for the info - but I watch a lot f tennis and i wil nw switch over to watch IPL - I always enjoyed it and I like to see how the S A players perform. Any commen t on that issue would be interesting.
I watch with the hope of seeing a SAFFA in action. I'm not against the format but I'm not a fan, got enthusiastic when 360 was at the crease and same with Brevis. There's a sameness about the pattern of play and after a while I find it boring, it also doesn't help that the games are played at an inconvenient time slot.
Yep.
Welcome Denny, this is my third season watching the IPL.
Most enjoyable as I am an early riser and the games suite my time schedule plus I also follow some players such as Miller, Klassen's, Maxwell, Salt, du Plessis, Brevis, Stubbs and a few of the Indian players.
I know it is a slog but it sure is entertaining to some of us.
Cricket has changed over the years and I'd have to finger ODI as being a major change but nothing has changed the game more than T20. Without going into a lot of detail about the good and the bad it's obvious that the general public like the format and they demonstrate that by filling up stadiums so with its popularity money is pouring into the game and for that reason the game has become more attractive to play. With the many leagues across the world T20 has become a good paying business and cricket's popularity has exploded both player and spectator wise.
People will pay to be entertained.
However, there is a down side.
Addendum: Just read that Andre Nortje will not be playing test cricket in year '24--'25 he'll be playing T20 instead. There's one downside.
Unfortunately professional cricket players have decided to follow the money and that is clearly the case with T20 and the 50 over one day games.
Test cricket has suffered from the top players deciding to extend their careers and fill their coffers rather than play test cricket.
Money, money and more money is available with the shorter games and far, far more lucartive for the professionals in the game.
Just look at what the RSA players earn in Rands playing in the IPL for instance.......
Who can point fingers at the players for making the most cash in their short careers.
After all is said and done I enjoy the new formats and it has certainly filled the stands plus speeded up the game with entertaining cricket and a result as opposed to the five day drawn out tests.
Well done Packer, Greig and Richards for the changes you guys brought to the game.