IPL matches are twenty over matches played during the months of April and May. The IPL is the most - attended cricket league in the world and in 2014 ranked sixth by average attendance among all sports leagues.
In 2010, the IPL became the first sporting event in the world to be broadcast live on YouTube.
There have so far been 10 IPL seasons, the 2018 being the 11th one as the tournament first began in 2008. A total of 13 teams have played the IPL over the years. The IPL auctions concluded in January and all the eight franchises this year have new faces that will be featuring for them. The new IPL season will the first for many - this means that the BCCI and IPL governing body will be introducing new rules and technologies that the viewers have never experienced before.
The top five changes in the tournament this year will be:
Introducing the dual jersey: The teams will have two jerseys now, one for their home ground and the other while they are away, it was first done by the Royal challengers Bangalore and is similar to football.
Mid season transfer: According to this new rule, uncapped players will be available for transfer after the 25th match just like in football. Two teams can negotiate and buy their desired players. However, only foreign players who have played two or fewer matches will be eligible for the transfer.
Match timings: The broadcaster had recommended that the second match of the day start at 8 pm, while pushing 4 pm match to a 5. 30 pm start.
Virtual reality technology: It is revolutionary step that promises to take cricket to another level. The introduction of VR technology will enable viewers to feel the real experience of the IPL. VRT cameras will be put at the stadium to provide a better experience for viewers at home through the hotstar VR box.
DRS: In its eleventh season, the IPL will finally feature the Decision Review System (DRS). From the 2018 season - opener on April 7, each team will get one review per innings, and the third umpire will have access to both ball - tracking and Ultra Edge.
The tournament is just weeks away and fans are geared up to enjoy yet another season of cricketing extravaganza.
Source: Financial Express / iplt20. com
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