How a national debacle gave birth to the Indian Premier League

ICC T20 World Cup 2007

“In Indian sport we don’t make anything happen. Accidents happen and we find ourselves in the right place and at the right time” 

India did not want to participate in the World Cup. They said that 20-20 was the answer for the future of cricket as this would adversely affect the 50 overs format of the game.

The BCCI grudgingly agreed to participate in the tournament after they were outvoted and hence had to send a contingent to South Africa.

The BCCI was afraid of another debacle just like the one in the Caribbean a few months earlier. So they sent a very young team who had collectively played only ONE international T20 match previously.

The likes of Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly were rested as they did not want ti participate in the tournament. The BCCI did not pressurize them either as they wanted the trio to be fresh for the upcoming Australia and Pakistan series which would immediately follow the World Cup.

We all know what happened next. India scripted an unlikely victory and suddenly the BCCI changed its stance.