Rural T20 beats IPL hollow

Amethi: Even as millions watch eight club teams fight it out for the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy and the $3 million prize money; a completely different type of cricket is being played in rural India.

After coming to a village in Amethi, one realises that India cricket is not only about passion, it's also about numbers.

The Rajiv Gandhi Rural Cricket Tournament, a Twenty20 tournament and a brainchild of Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi, is shattering all records.

Chief organiser Rajiv Gandhi Rural Cricket Tournament Vijaya Murthi says, "This is biggest tournament that has ever been held. Rahulji is getting this organised."

The numbers say is all after comparing the rural tournament with the much-hyped IPL.

• Total number of teams playing the IPL is eight but in the rural Twenty20, the total number of teams is 1857.
• The IPL has only 128 players but the rural Twenty20 has attracted more than 27,000 players.
• The IPL has a schedule of 59 games in two months while Rahul Gandhi's Twenty20 tournament has 150 matches played every day.

Talking about the rural Twenty20, the only things that come to mind are more numbers.

There are 260 umpires officiating in the matches while 3714 cricket bats and 11000 balls have been were used. And for all this mega action 140 makeshift playgrounds were used.

When it comes to money no doubt the IPL has an edge as it has a sum of $3.2 million as prize money for the winner.

While the rural Twenty20 winner will get only Rs 3 lakh. But the rural lads are happy.

A local cricketer Adarsh Singh says, "Everyone is talking only about cricket and nothing else."

Majority of the boys who are playing cricket hardly get to see television as Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi gets only five to six hours of electricity every day.

But seeing the enthusiasm of the boys, one can safely say that the rural Twenty20 is no less popular than the IPL.