The gentlemen’s game has received a new high with top entrepreneurs investing their wealth in the game. The game of cricket has by far remained a bundle of controversies with matching fixing, bribing and other such unscrupulous means. The game of cricket is worshiped in India and Indians hate to lose in the game of cricket, but fate has always driven to lose just when they were about to acquire victory. Cricket in an international game with origins in England yet irony lies in the fact that the national game of hockey has lost its charm and is subdued under the overwhelming shadow of cricket. It is notice worthy that the game had completely turned into a commercial venture with corporates actually investing in the game. Another aspect that is nascent to the game of cricket is that it has brought about an amalgamation of entertainment with business. The game is just not a game any more, it has become entertainment with the Bollywood factor adding spice to it, the corporate sector their money and the match fixers the risk.

It is hard to say that cricket is originally a game played with sportsmanship or the results are predetermined by the stake holders who wish to turn it into a drama enacted by real life characters, mummers that play the roles assigned to them. The legendary sixes and centuries, are they for real or was just part of the gimmick? The Indian Premier League has completely changed the face of cricket and it can be noted that somehow has re-written the epitaph of test cricket which took five days to complete; the 20 -20 cricket ends within three hours just like a movie show. The welcoming change to the game is the string of international cricket stars that will no longer be playing for their nations.

The spectators seem to enjoy this from of cricket that promotes regionalism rather than nationalism. The question still prevails that the game of cricket is actually a game or another reality show on TV?

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