HOPING FOR A HAT-TRICK

WHEN A popular event like the Indian Premier League (IPL) makes its debut in a poll-bound state, it is bound to trigger more excitement than the mere thrill of watching the battle of the willows. Even before the sprawling Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium at Naya Raipur in Chhattisgarh could host the inaugural match between Sir Viv Richard’s boys, the Delhi Daredevils (DD) and former speedster Allan Donald’s team, the Pune Warriors India (PWI), scheduled for April 28, the event had set off verbal fireworks in the state’s politics. While proudly unveiling the beautiful stadium built on 54 acres, which left even former chief selector of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Kiran More awestruck, a jubilant Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters at Raipur on April 21 that the two IPL matches, scheduled on April 28 and May 1, will put Raipur on the international cricket map. The Chief Minister, who is currently enjoying his second consecutive term in office, showed he was well versed in cricketing terminology when replying to a question. Asked if he was trying to ensure that the pitch of politics (referring to the November Assembly elections) would be favourable to him by bringing the IPL to Chhattisgarh, the chief minister shot back, “There is a great chance of doing a hattrick,” and “The players (his ministers and MLAs) are in very good form.” The principal Opposition party, the Congress, replied in kind when one of its members said, “We will hit only fours and sixes this time and will not allow BJP even to open its account in the coming Assembly polls.” The battle of the willows, it seems, has set the stage for the battle of the ballot.