- The extremely popular, widely followed, passionately discussed, aggressively dissected, and widely articulated Indian Premier League’s 18th edition has definitely lived up to its billing as the most admired T20 cricket league in the world. People closely following the fortunes of the IPL over the years must have noticed how the league has evolved by introducing one or the other innovations to make the game more interesting, alluring, and entertaining. Little wonder, the popularity of the sport is perpetually on the ascendancy, adding more admirers by the day. Due credit should accrue to the mandarins of the Board of Control for Cricket in India for introducing several spectator-friendly measures to make the sport so attractive.
PC: BBC
- Mind you, the shortest format of the game is always construed as batter-friendly, allowing the bat to dominate the ball. Yes, true connoisseurs, experts, and ex-players would always be unequivocal in chorusing about Test cricket as the true format that tests the skills of a player. None can dispute this, nor can they question the current cricketers vouching for Test cricket as the ultimate format. However, indisputably, T20 cricket has stormed the cricketing world with its unmatched razzmatazz, allure, canvas, buzz, and unimaginably breathtaking performances. Some of the scintillating knocks played by the batters in the current edition are unbelievable. Take, for instance, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma’s awesome display of firepower the other day.
PC: India Today
- The way the southpaw plundered the hapless Punjab Kings bowlers while chasing a formidable 246 must rank as one of the most exhilarating and impactful performances in the league’s history. Abhishek scored 141 – completed his century in 40 deliveries – helping his side to cross the line with great aplomb. Likewise, Priyansh Arya, representing Punjab Kings, hammered a 39-delivery century against Chennai Super Kings in the league match. Note that both are openers and went ballistic right from the first delivery bowled by the opposition. The present generation of batters is not even waiting to gauge the pitch conditions or the bowler’s reputation. The fundamental idea is to attack from the word go.
PC: NewsBytes
- The brutality and raw power shown by the batters pales the sublimity, class, and copybook batting of even the talismanic Virat Kohli, who himself is in such terrific form opening the batting for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Cricket lovers are aware of how Travis Head (SRH) is such a freakishly belligerent batter at the top of the order, pulverizing bowlers with brute power, ensuring the team gets off to a cracking start. The modern-day batters are supremely fit, powerful, and do not mind going over the top, clearing the boundary ropes with ease. The T20 game itself appears to be batter-friendly, but the bowlers, too, have found a way to reinvent themselves to curb the free flow of runs with great variations. Cricket fans are not complaining, though.
