IPL’s best moments: April 25, 2010 - Modi’s final farewell

Lalit Modi, the league’s first commissioner, knew his days were numbered when he made a closing speech ahead of the 2010 tournament finale.

Lalit Modi during the 2010 Indian Premier League T20 Final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings played at DY Patil Stadium on April 25, 2010 in Navi Mumbai, India. Ritam Banerjee / Getty ImaShow more

The Bollywood glamour pervading the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a major factor behind its success as a money-spinning brand.

The thing about Bollywood movies, though, is that stars usually meet a grisly demise in the end. It does not matter if you are the hero, the anti-hero, or just an extra with a walk on part – nobody escapes intact.

Lalit Modi was proud of his billion-dollar baby, but he became a cautionary tale when his excessive pride predicated a hefty fall.

The league’s first commissioner knew his days were numbered when he made a closing speech ahead of the 2010 tournament finale.

At turns in his final soliloquy of doom, he quoted Zen proverbs and the Bhagvad Gita.

“Fear not what is not real, never was and never will be, what is real always was and cannot be destroyed,” Modi said, with a keen sense of his own self-importance.

“All I wanted is to leave a small footprint in the glorious history of the game. I thank my family, my children who have stood by me through the trying times all these years.

“My final thank you is to you, the fans all over the world. It’s your passion that sustains us, your passion that enriches us.

“This is not the Indian Premier League, it’s the Indian People League. I humbly dedicate my dream to all the people in this country. Thank you.”

And fans thought this league was supposed to be about cricket? MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar never stood a chance.

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