I saw a couple of ICL matches this weekend, and I am already hooked. It is nice to see some players like Lance Klusener, Inzamam Ul Haq and Brian Lara back in action. And the fact that some of them are playing together in one team, competitively, for the first time is exciting as well.
The teams are well balanced, as evident from the points table after two matches each: one team winning both matches, four teams winning one and losing one, and one team losing both matches.
The match coverage is good so far, with experts from all over the world commenting, and the commercial advertisements under control. On the other hand, the Doordarshan coverage of the India - Pakistan cricket matches is pathetic. The video follows the English commentators, and the Hindi commentators seem to translate whatever they can. And even in a test match, they would not give up one chance to show an advertisement. Even if the bowler is standing at the top of his run-up, and the batsman is tying his shoe lace, the channel would quickly figure out that there is a 30 second slot to be utilized there and shows one (sometimes half) advertisement. One player gets out, and even before you realize who is out, they cut to the commercials!
The fielding of ICL players is outstanding! Compared to that, the fielding in the India - Pakistan Test match looked like school cricket standard. Does the fact that the ICL teams have been training together for quite some time, and each team training with their own professional trainers, play a part here?
If you like cricket and haven't watched ICL yet, check it out. And in case you are not biased, check out my team, the Kolkata Tigers.
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