The Indian Premier League (IPL), under the stewardship of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has witnessed remarkable growth and success, according to former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi. Modi lauded the BCCI’s efforts in expanding the league’s reach to new cities and markets, effectively opening up the tournament to the entire country.
“The IPL has become the world’s best sports league, with a valuation second to none,” Modi said. “The BCCI has done a fantastic job in taking the games to newer cities and markets, bringing the IPL to the entire country.”
Modi emphasized the importance of innovation, particularly from team owners, in areas such as merchandising and ticketing. He suggested the creation of a centralized IPL store and collective efforts by team owners to enhance the fan experience.
“For the BCCI, they should consider a secondary league in tier two or tier three cities,” Modi added. “This would cater to the growing appetite for cricket in these areas and could potentially promote the winner to the IPL for the next season.”
Modi attributed the IPL’s success to its ability to nurture Indian players and inspire them to achieve their aspirations. He highlighted the performances of Anuj Rawat and Harshit Rana, who made significant contributions to their respective teams despite the presence of international stars.
“The tournament is no longer reliant on foreign stars,” Modi said. “It is the Indian core that drives it. The success of the South African League (SA20) and the Caribbean League (CPL) is also due to the involvement of local stars.”
Regarding the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies/US and cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Modi expressed skepticism. He believes that the T20 World Cup in New York will be driven by expats and that cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics would have been more impactful if it had occurred in countries with a strong cricket culture.
