IPL has just come to an end. An apt
end to the 2 month extravaganza I must say, a match worthy of the final. Still
what I see around is a sense of dissatisfaction. I ask why? You had so many
close matches, a nail biter every night, sheer talent, at times class on
display, cheerleaders, bollywood, controversies. What more can you ask for from a tournament that is just about
completing 5 years? ‘Its all fixed’ is
the reply, so quick it violates relativity. I find it hard to understand why. It’s a sport.
Its meant to be unpredictable, sometimes predictable. It will have its ups and
downs its sport! May be it’s a convenient answer to why the team you support doesn't do well. Or maybe an act of jealousy from the ones who didn't get a piece of
the cake. Anyway the only thing I’m sure are being fixed in
India are marriages. Here is why.
The
first thing that pops into our head when we hear fixing is money. I’m sure
nobody fixes matches for pride, or to save a life or something. Its all for the
cash. But when you come to come to think of it, IPL players earn like crazy!
They are already playing on astronomical contracts. Add to that the money they
earn from sponsorship, advertising and related things that come along with the
IPL or team owners. Summed up they are making enormous money. For local
players, add to the cash an opportunity to showcase their talent. Would one
really risk all of this for a few extra lakhs. I don’t think so. When there is
so much at stake no sane person would.
That
said, do you really think one could buy out players like Sachin, Sehwag,
Gambhir, Kallis, Steyn, Malinga. No way! These and more are the most respected
people in cricket. They earn the respect because of their passion, dedication
towards the game. You seriously cannot expect them to be sold. And they usually
are the game-changers.
Also fixing a
match wouldn't really be as simple as we make it sound. There would be a lot of
technicalities involved in fixing a match. Its not like a movie or a novel, no
takes or retakes. Lets say you somehow buy two players. What can you possibly
do of the rest? Even if you have 5 still half a team is trying hard to win. It wouldn't work that way. I mean for a
batsman to get out caught and make it look like it wasn't deliberate is a
huge ask. That would require some
extreme level of skill, not humanly possible.
Also I hear
people coming to this conclusion stating that almost all matches are so close.
Now that’s ridiculous! Whatever the resources it would be impossible to fix a
close match. If matches were fixed they would probably be dull one sided encounters
with the other side throwing away the game like anything. Not thrilling low scoring
games or nail biting high scoring ones. That requires talent, not cash. Only a
fool would say that a match was fixed because he saw Ab De Villiers score 47
off 17, or Dwayne Smith’s 14 off the last 3 balls, or Gayle’s 128. That is
sheer talent & skill at display. What I’m saying is claiming that IPL-5 was
fixed because it had the maximum number of close matches is crazy. In fact that
would be a reason to be sure of this IPL not being fixed.
While that
was my take on fixing, I think we need to stop being such cynics. I mean yes we
have had videos of spot fixing and all and that sure needs to be dealt with.
But that was at a much lower tournament not IPL. And just I said there is a lot at stake to do
that in IPL. Also its sport. Shit happens. Doesn't always mean its fixed, that’s
the nature of the game.
P.S. : All thoughts mine. Neither me nor
this post is fixed! I’m sure you must have come to that conclusion by now!
