The IPL is an ever-changing cricket world, which has turned the game from a sport to a business. Amongst others, one-time Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi has expressed the IPL’s great influence on cricket development especially in white ball cricket field.
For Afridi, the IPL paved way for many other leagues across the globe, which indicates that short games are immensely profitable.
“See, money came; there was a change in everything. The cricket has become a business before it was just a game. Commercialization is at its peak with leagues sprouting up everywhere around the world. Honestly speaking all the leagues were opened to reality through what happened into white ball cricket with IPL,” Afridi said on 180 Not Out podcast.
The cash influx brought players who have been left out and led them into their dreams as well as living through professional careers in batting or bowling by taking part in organized sports activities such as cricket.
Commercializing of Cricket is one aspect pointed out by Afridi. IPL has shown that lots of money can be earned from playing white-ball cricket hence many more leagues have come up worldwide.
“Previously there was money in county cricket too but it used to extend for 6 months long season and involved red balls. I think now every league has money because it became commercialized. There is money coming in and being given to players. So players are interested…if they are not representing their nation still they get opportunities to play different leagues which is good,” he added.
However, playing for the national team remains important since no matter what satisfaction comes along with it; these leagues provide other choices for those cricketers who could not have played for their nations according to Afridi.
“But playing for your country is something big man! That’s where you get some kind of real fulfillment you know like inside you feel like ‘ah’, I represented my nation or whatever it feels good so much’ but cricketers, who don’t get to play for their country’s teams find a chance in other leagues as well as financial support for the family,” Afridi concluded.
