Thanks to Lalit Modi!! The cricket crazy nation is indebted to the former Indian Premier League - Chairman, for introducing this short format of the game in India. Well no controversies to the statement, as my kudos ends with the chance for providing this entertainment. And I do not want to get into any more debated issues about the gentleman.

So hot on heels is the luxury cricket tournament. The one month entertainment shall commence in April and stretches till mid of May.  This time too the game shall bring a lot of lucrative income to the exchequer. The craze among the youth is sure to hit the box offices during this period. Bad time for movie releases.

The bidding for the season shall commence form this week end and many top players are sure to go under the hammer for huge sums.  Pakistani Cricketers will not bid in IPL 5 Auction. But Azhar Mahmood seems to be lucky enough, with a British citizenship. Astonishing even at 37, the player’s base price is a million dollars.

Eight Indians, including veteran Test batsman V.V.S. Laxman, 32 Australians and 30 South Africans will be among the 144 players up for sale in the IPL 2012. "The franchises purchased the bulk of their respective squads in 2011. Their aim at the upcoming auction will be to bring in some players who can make a difference to their prospects in the tournament,” said IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla in a statement. The auction list also includes 19 players from the West Indies and Sri Lanka each, 15 English players, 10 New Zealanders, seven Zimbabweans, two Irish and a Bangladeshi and one from the Netherlands.(With inputs from internet-AarKay)