Life is a Game…

When the T20 matches were introduced in the charity matches, it was written off as a one-off stuff. But what an impact it has made on the modern day cricket! Both the Players and the spectators have changed their outlook on the game thanks to the advent of T20.

Up until the late 1990s, 250 was a decent ODI target and if a team has posted 300 then it is rest assured. But come T20 and totals over 300 are frequently chased down with consummate ease. And to cap it off, South Africa chased a total of 434! 870 odd runs in 100 Overs – mind boggling stuff. The shorter boundaries and the broader bats may also be the reason behind this turnaround. But the role of T20 is too important to ignore.

Yes, it has won the crowd back and it offers a high entertainment value. But is it helping the game? The game is literally killed. Gone are the days when an exquisite cover drive would attract a round of applause. These days it’s hit, hit and hit! It doesn’t matter how you play as long as the runs are coming. The scoop over the keeper (“Dilscoop”), paddle sweep, switch hit, etc are catching up with the youngsters and they can no longer play to the merit of the ball. This may have drastic repercussions on the quality of the game.

If you have luck, you can succeed in T20 cricket. But the fact is that you can attain the status of a Cricketing great, if only you make your mark in the longer version of the game- the Test Matches.