The Indian Premier League; more better known by all cricket lovers as the “ IPL” will be having its 5^th season starting next week with the first match due to be played by the defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Chennai on the 4^th of April. It was like last month since we saw the last IPL where the consistent Chennai Super Kings lifted the trophy; here are we again with another edition, which will surely gain the interest of all cricket lovers around the world.

 The IPL is all about t20 cricket, the celebrities, the parties, the cheerleaders and last but the most important thing, money. This combo is hard to resist to any spectator and for the cricketers it is a fortune to which they simply can’t say no.

With the IPL growing in leap and bounds, its affect on the modern game is widely evident. This affect is widely seen in one day internationals where teams dare to chase high scores which they didn’t think they could chase in the past. Batsmen have become more dominant and the bowlers having to improve their skills all the time to get them out.

 Yet, there are questions asked if the T20 game will take over the ODI format once and for all. Especially with the advert of the IPL, those doubts have become bigger with many players choosing to play for their IPL franchise rather than for their national team.

 The spectators are also feeling in such a way where they think the one day format is too boring to watch and that series such as the IPL; saves their time and gives them a good time with exciting matches more consistently.

 So will the T20 game take over the one day format and signal its end?  It is a very tough question to get an answer. Recent ODI series such as the CB series, the Asia Cup and the one day internationals between West Indies and Australia have produced such exciting matches and have kept the spectators gloomed to their television sets.

 The ODI format is still breathing healthy; it won’t drift away any time soon.  Yet, the T20 format has taken over the game of cricket and with series such as the IPL being adored by players and fans alike, it will be difficult for the one day game to survive without producing exciting matches consistently.

 It is a future that will be hard to predict but the reality is that the IPL as well as T20 cricket as a whole has had a mass affect in making the ODI format worth watching.  It is a safe bet to predict that this trend will continue for some time and with their cricket heroes playing such exciting cricket, all cricket fans will be happy and eager to watch all the matches that comes their way.

 It is no doubt that in the end, the ultimate winner of all these transitions is the game itself.

 Cheers!!