Indian Premier League

Rohit Sharma, the current captain of Mumbai Indians, has won a significant number of IPL titles, totaling 5 with MI and 1 with Deccan Chargers.

Following India's victory at the 2007 T20 World Cup, BCCI announced the franchise-based Twenty20 cricket competition known as the Indian Premier League on September 13, 2007.

An auction for the IPL franchises was held on January 24, 2008, where the reserve prices totaled $400 million but ultimately raised $723.59 million, leading to the commencement of the league in April 2008.

The inaugural match of the Indian Premier League 2008 was held on 18th April. Kolkata Knight Riders emerged victorious by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) with a huge margin of 140 runs.

The inaugural season of IPL in 2008 introduced various entertainment elements like cheerleaders, music, and pyrotechnics to enhance the fan experience. These innovations added glamour and excitement to the matches, contributing to the league's success.

Following the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks and the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team, geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, leading to Pakistani players being unofficially banned from participating in the IPL. Despite being selected in the inaugural season in 2008, their contracts were terminated before the 2009 edition due to political tensions.

In April 2010, BCCI president Shashank Manohar expressed concerns about the ownership of Rajasthan Royals and the Punjab team in the IPL. He mentioned discrepancies in the ownership structure and alleged violations of the agreement by Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta.

In 2011, BCCI terminated the franchise of Kochi Tuskers Kerala due to a contractual breach.

In September 2012, the Deccan Chargers franchise agreement was terminated by the BCCI due to the failure to find new owners. Subsequently, an auction was held for a replacement franchise.

In May 2013, Pune Warriors India withdrew from the IPL citing financial differences with the BCCI. This led to the official termination of the franchise in October, resulting in the league reverting to eight teams.

In 2014, the Supreme Court ordered N. Srinivasan to step down as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to allow for an unbiased investigation into the spot-fixing and betting controversy during the previous year's Indian Premier League.

In June 2015, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended for two seasons due to their involvement in a spot-fixing and betting scandal. They were replaced by franchises based in Pune and Rajkot for two seasons.

In 2016, financial experts valued the IPL at US$4.16 billion, marking a significant increase in the tournament's value.

In June 2017, Vivo secured the title sponsorship rights for the Indian Premier League for the next five seasons with a bid of ₹2,199 crore. This deal was set to cover the seasons from 2018 to 2022.

In July 2017, BCCI announced that both Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals would be allowed back into the IPL competition from the 2018 season.

In January 2018, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla announced that the IPL would double the payments made to cricket boards for players available for an entire season. This decision aimed to enhance the financial support to the national cricket boards.

In 2019, Mumbai Indians secured the IPL title by defeating Chennai Super Kings in Hyderabad. Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional bowling earned him the Player of the Match award.

On 4 August 2020, Vivo decided to cancel their title sponsorship rights for the IPL due to the military tensions between India and China at the Line of Actual Control in July 2020. This move was also influenced by Vivo's financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the most popular sporting tournaments globally, will commence on April 9, 2021.

The auction for the IPL media rights for the cycle of 2023 to 2027 took place, with different packages for domestic television, digital, and international rights. The domestic television and streaming rights were reported to have doubled in value compared to the previous contract.

Star Sports renewed its contract for television rights by winning Package A, while a Viacom18 consortium acquired the streaming rights by winning both Package B and C. The IPL's media value surpassed the English Premier League, becoming the second highest-valued sports media property globally.

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its second decade, it faces various challenges like expanding its global reach, adapting to new trends, and addressing issues like corruption and player burnout. However, the league also has opportunities to innovate, attract diverse audiences, and maintain its position as a leading cricket entertainment platform.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to commence on November 8, 2023.

An annual auction held for IPL teams to fine-tune their team combinations and determine the future course of action for players and their international teams.