The Indian Premier League 2008 season was the inaugural season of IPL, also called DLF Indian Premier League. The 2008 season commenced on the 18 April 2008 and ended on 1 June 2008, with Rajasthan Royals beating Chennai Super Kings in the final Match at Mumbai.
The IPL Twenty20 tournament started with a double round robin group stage. In this, each of the participating teams had to play a home match and an away match against every other team. These matches were followed by two semi-finals and a final.
Team Performances In IPL 2008
The inaugural season started well for Kolkata Knight Riders who in the season's first match registered a victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Brendon McCullum, the opening batsman of KKR scored an impressive 158 runs in the first match which is a record for the highest runs ever scored by a batsman in a Twenty-20 match. RCB after loosing its first match went on to win just four out of fourteen matches it played. However, neither RCB nor KKR could make it to the semi-finals.
Chennai Super Kings had a good start, winning all its first four matches. Though the team passed through a brief spell of failures; it regained its ground to enter the semi-finals in which it defeated Kings XI Punjab to enter the finals. Chennai Super Kings played a fine game in the finals against Rajasthan Royals, however, loosing to them by 3 wickets off the last ball.
The celebrated team of Mumbai Indians opened its season facing defeat in the very first four matches and ultimately not making it to the semifinals. However, Delhi Daredevils who started off well reached the semi-finals where they were defeated by Rajasthan Royals by 105 runs.
It was a game of irony for Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals. While Deccan Chargers of Hyderabad were amongst the favorites to win the title, Rajasthan Royals were the least fancied of the lot.
However, tables turned for Deccan Chargers after the team's skipper Laxman ended his season dude to injury and Andrews Symonds, the team's most expensive player, left the team to meet prior commitments back home. Out of total fourteen, Deccan Chargers won just two matches.
After loosing their first match against Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals hit back in an impressive form, winning 11 out of fourteen matches, loosing none at their home ground of Jaipur and thereby entering the semifinals. In the semi-finals they defeated Delhi Daredevils and walked into the finals to register a victory over Chennai Super Kings by 3 wickets. They emerged winners of the Indian Premier League 2008 season.
Indian Premier League 2009
The second season of the Indian Premier League will commence on 10 April 2008. The Inaugural match of this IPL season will be hosted by the winners of IPL 2008, Rajasthan Royals, at Jaipur. The first match of IPL 2009 season will be played between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils. The Semi-finals (May 21 & 22) will be played in Chennai while the finals (May 24) will again be held in Mumbai.
IPL 2008 was the inaugural season of Indian Premier League that offers to promote cricket in it new Twenty20 avatar. Get to know all about IPL 2008.