IPL success. Howzat?

In the UAE because of India's election, how can we convince IPL to come back again?

When stumps were drawn last night on the Indian Premier League’s two-week stay in the UAE, it was declared a huge success. Fans were happy because the atmosphere at the stadiums was great and the cricket was entertaining. Indeed, matches get no closer than Tuesday evening’s game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, which remained tied even after a “super over” had been bowled and was eventually decided on a countback of boundaries scored.

This was another endorsement of this country’s ability to host top events, be they sporting or otherwise.

The UAE has clear infrastructure advantages, with several venues capable of hosting major matches and with the tourist and transport capacity to cope with the influx of cricket fans. This should not come as a surprise, based on the success of the Etihad Airways Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Dubai Rugby Sevens, the Dubai World Cup, the Fifa U17 World Cup and many others.

Of course, the IPL was only here because of the Indian elections but most fans will be hoping that the razzmatazz, the top-class cricketers and the sheer spectacle of it all will return to these shores next year.