The fact that the IPL to be able to take off in a nation where the cricket board scoffed at the very format of T20 illustrates that the story of the event's success is an illustration of the potent combination of luck and serendipity.

Since 2008, most of world-class cricketers around the world have been taking a break from both the game of domestic and international cricket to participate at the Indian Premier League (IPL) that happens mostly in the month of March through May. In essence, over this period, the IPL has been the focal point of the world's cricketers throughout the world. When you look back, although it's likely that cricket's popularity required a shorter format, it wasn't really evident at the time. Actually, it's to be quite remarkable that the BCCI and India were not awestruck by T20's appeal at first.

The main reason behind the popularity of the ipl winners and T20 format, as it has been similar to many other commercial formats, has been due to timing. In the early part of the millenniums, the last source of public support for the first-class game in England began seeing smaller turnouts. In particular, the younger crowd had a preference for different sports, instead of cricket. The marketing manager of the ECB, Stuart Robertson, recommended looking into a compact format that would be more in tune with the current requirements of time. A year later, in spite of some resistance from county chairmen occasion of some last-over slogging the format was able to find a midwife .

International cricket didn't take the format seriously . The first T20 international featured mirthful scenes. They also included mock red cards handed out to Glenn McGrath for impersonating the infamous underarm incident.

In a couple of years, a majority of nations begun playing the first T20 game, drawing some curiosity and confusion from their fans. India was among the few "big" nations to play its inaugural T20 game. Its domestic version, however, was a disappointing splash . "T20? Why not ten-ten ? instead of one?" thundered Niranjan Shah in the 2006 International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting. He then sounded the alarm, proclaiming that India will never use the format. Another rival league, the Indian Cricket League, which gained momentum it was swiftly taken out of existence at the request of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

However it was apparent that the ODI format was slowed down. Australia were sleepwalking to their third consecutive World Cup and was the standout team in a format which had left few surprises; the various attempts by the ICC to enliven the game (supersub superseries with field restrictions and etc.)) had failed to hit the spot. India, quite disastrously, was eliminated in the group stage, making the competition less attractive to all the stakeholders. The hysterical 2007. World Cup final served as an excellent example of everything that had gone wrong with the over-milked cash-sucking ODI format.

It was in this setting where the T20 format caught the public's imagination. It is impossible to believe that India weren't too keen on putting together a team to play in the inaugural World T20 and had to be coerced into doing the same by the former ICC President Ehsan Mani. India was reluctantly sending a team which reeked of the distaste of the BCCI were feeling towards the latest format the team, captained by a grasshopper MS Dhoni, did not contain the top batting players .

Since the tournament isn't able to match the domestic structure of most cricketing nations, the presence of top stars has been almost assured. They West Indies players are some of the most sought-after T20 stars and the conflicts between the players and the board have certainly helped the cause of the IPL. This is why the love-hate relationship of the English playing establishment as well as the IPL players. English players usually been forced to pick all ipl winners over their domestic commitments , or dismissed completely. This is how the IPL bring about the perfect storm for itself and grow into a league like no other in world cricket.