IPL 2020: A ray of hope in the darkest of times
September-October is usually the festive time in India, and so no one used to associate it with the razzmatazz of the Indian Premier League (IPL). But then again, nothing has been normal this year.
The bottom line is that the biggest Twenty20 extravaganza in the world is up and running, and this time, it goes far beyond being the best T20 league around the globe. The IPL carries a much greater significance this year.
The events of the last six months have indeed been unprecedented as the world has been affected by a virus, which has taken the lives of more than half a million people and is threatening to damage the lives of many more. These times have been challenging for each one of us in some way or the other.
Uncertainty has encircled our lives like never before, and the feeling of helplessness has made the future look gloomy. Therefore, amidst the dark clouds, India desperately needed a silver lining, a unifying factor, and most importantly a reason to smile. This is where IPL 2020 comes to the rescue.
Of course, it's not going to transform the world entirely for it is just a sport at the end of the day. The virus is still rampant and will be around for some more time. However, the IPL has already given us a ray of hope in the darkest of times. It has put a smile on the face of millions, if only for a few hours every day.
At 7:30, every evening, we escape from the world of negativity and immerse ourselves in the joy and the emotions offered by our beloved sport. Finally, the discussions in our living rooms have started to revolve around teams like CSK and RCB, the sixes hit and the wickets taken rather than the rising COVID cases.
Our cricket-crazy nation, which had come to a halt, now has a reason to celebrate, rather than mulling over the mundane work-from-home lifestyle.
In fact, it won't be a hyperbole to state that the 13th edition of the IPL is acting as a vaccine before the actual one arrives, helping us to evade the tide of despair that has settled among the masses owing to the pandemic.
The IPL is not merely a contest between bat and ball, but rather a sentiment that has the power to spread joy even during the darkest of times.
Thank you for bringing back the smiles, IPL!