IPL brings the good, the bad, and Modi to Cape Town
There is plenty that is good about the self-professed greatest show on earth, but it must be careful not to over-reach itself, writes Lawrence Booth in the Guardian .
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
There is plenty that is good about the self-professed greatest show on earth, but it must be careful not to over-reach itself, writes Lawrence Booth in the Guardian.
It is the greatest gathering of the most of the world's best players outside the World Cup. It should, in the long run, help break down boundaries between sides and, maybe, thaw relations between, say, India and Australia. It is, when you dig beneath the hype, a bonus for South African sports fans. And Modi's regular donations to local education programmes cannot be argued with, even if the ostentatious manner in which the cheques are handed over does not feel entirely right. Modi is to be congratulated on turning around a huge operation at such short notice. Few would have the time, inclination, or drive. But the IPL has to be careful not to over-reach itself. It is a sporting event, possibly a very good one, that has found a temporary home. What it is not is some kind of elixir for the South African nation. That, the politicians tell us, will come on Wednesday.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo