The New Nation - Internet Edition

It is now clear that Indian cricket has split itself into two groups-the ICL camp backed by mighty G-TV and the IPL under the guardianship of Indian official cricket bosses. Currently, this divide is limited to T20 version of the game.

This Indian divide has also divided the entire cricket world. The official cricket authorities of the cricket playing nations have sided with IPL.

All active players have somehow sided with the IPL. On the other side the relieved or retired cricketers and officials have lined up with ICL. The big Indian corporate houses and the Bollywood highg- ups are also divided on IPL-ICL lines for their market interests. In fact, they are the real owners/stakeholders of the game now.

For all practical purposes, the T20 cricket in India is now a billion dollars stake. The offered prices for the teams and players (Bombay 80m$ Kolkata, 76 m$…….Lee 1.4m $, Symonds 1.35m, etc,) are really just unthinkable. In simple words, billions of dollars have been pumped into the business of cricket.

That makes us worried about the future of the gentle game. These big money will eventually kill the sporting cricket.

The money-makers will step in paving the way for game fixing, and the book-makers will spoil the show.

And at the top of all this IPL-ICL show will ultimately induce the entire cricket world to run after money killing the very basics of the game. The very beauty of this classic game will die down. If this goes on unabated then cricket will surely be a different ball game where money and glamour will dictate the terms. So, it is time to ask a honest question-should the cricket world step into the Indian shoes?

Abu Musa Miah

Lalbagh, Dhaka.