Explained | Cricket | FULL EPISODE | Netflix

Summary

This script explores the evolution of cricket from a traditional British sport governed by 'laws' to a global phenomenon. It delves into cricket's complex rules, colonial roots, and transformation through formats like one-day and T20 cricket, particularly highlighting India's pivotal role in reshaping the sport with the Indian Premier League (IPL). The narrative underscores cricket's shift from England to India as the sport's new epicenter, reflecting cultural, economic, and entertainment influences.

Takeaways

• 🏏 Cricket is a British sport with a rich history and is governed by 'laws' rather than 'rules', which some find pompous.
• 📜 The laws of cricket were established in 19th-century London at Lord's, which is considered the sport's home.
• 🍵 Cricket is known for its traditional elements, including a tea break during matches, which adds to its unique charm.
• 🌐 The sport has evolved with a new form that attracts more money, fans, and a different style of play while retaining its complexity.
• 📺 The 2015 India vs. Pakistan cricket match was watched by an estimated one billion people, highlighting cricket's global popularity.
• 🌍 The British Empire spread cricket to its colonies, where it was adopted with varying degrees of enthusiasm, influencing the sport's worldwide presence.
• 🏆 The introduction of the cricket World Cup in 1975 provided a platform for countries to compete and prove themselves against each other.
• 🎉 India's victory in the 1983 World Cup marked a turning point for the nation's confidence and its role in shaping the future of cricket.
• 🎊 The Indian Premier League (IPL), launched in 2008, has become a significant T20 cricket tournament, blending entertainment with the sport.
• 📈 The success of the IPL has led to the rise of T20 cricket and a decline in one-day international matches, reflecting a shift in the sport's popularity.
• 💰 The financial success and global appeal of T20 cricket, particularly the IPL, have led to a power shift in the sport from England to India.

Q & A

What distinguishes cricket from other sports in terms of its governing principles?

Cricket is governed by 'laws' rather than 'rules', which some people perceive as pompous and self-regarding, setting it apart from other sports.

Where were the cricket laws primarily written and when?

The cricket laws were mostly written in 19th-century London, at a pitch known as Lord's, which is considered the home of cricket.

How does cricket incorporate tradition into its gameplay?

Cricket incorporates tradition through its rituals, such as a tea break during the game, reflecting its British heritage.

What is the significance of the wicket in cricket?

The wicket, consisting of three stumps topped by two bails, is central to the game as it is the target for the bowler and the batsman's position from which they score runs.

How are runs scored in cricket?

Runs are scored by batsmen hitting the ball delivered by the bowler and either running between the wickets or hitting the ball to the boundary for four runs, or over the boundary for six runs.

What is the term for a set of six deliveries bowled by a single bowler in cricket?

A set of six deliveries bowled by a single bowler is called an 'over', which is a significant part of the game's structure.

How has cricket evolved to become more accessible and popular?

Cricket has evolved with new formats like one-day cricket and Twenty20 (T20), which are shorter and more fast-paced, making the game more accessible and appealing to a wider audience.

What was the impact of India winning the 1983 Cricket World Cup?

India's win in the 1983 World Cup marked a moment of national confidence and pride, and it signified the beginning of India's significant influence on the sport of cricket.

How did the Indian Premier League (IPL) change the landscape of cricket?

The IPL introduced a unique blend of entertainment and fast-paced action, attracting players globally and becoming a major force in cricket, shifting the power and influence of the sport from England to India.

What is the significance of T20 cricket in the modern cricketing world?

T20 cricket has become a dominant format due to its shorter duration and high entertainment value, leading to increased spectator interest and television viewership, and influencing the direction of the sport.

How has the shift in cricket's power center from England to India affected the sport?

The shift has led to a greater emphasis on entertainment, spectator engagement, and commercialization, with formats like the IPL becoming more prominent and shaping the future of cricket.

Outlines

00:00

🏏 The Tradition and Complexity of Cricket

This paragraph delves into the traditional and rule-bound nature of cricket, highlighting its British origins and the laws that govern the game, which were established in the 19th century at Lord's in London. It touches on the sport's unique features, such as the tea break and the five-day test matches, and acknowledges the sport's complexity, which can be off-putting to some. Despite this, cricket has evolved into a global phenomenon, with over a billion viewers estimated for a single India-Pakistan match in 2015, showcasing its widespread appeal and popularity.

05:02

🌍 Cricket's Global Spread and the Emergence of T20

This section discusses how cricket was spread globally by the British Empire, with varying levels of acceptance in different colonies. It focuses on cricket's growth in warmer climates and its significance in post-colonial contexts as a means to compete against the former colonizers. The introduction of the Cricket World Cup in 1975 is noted as a turning point that transformed the sport from a gentlemanly agreement to a competitive, international event. The narrative then shifts to the creation of T20 cricket, a shorter format designed to make the sport more accessible and appealing to modern audiences, which was initially met with resistance but eventually gained traction.

10:03

🎉 The Rise of T20 and the Indian Premier League (IPL)

The paragraph explores the advent of T20 cricket and its rapid ascent in popularity, particularly in India with the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008. The IPL is described as a unique blend of entertainment and fast-paced cricket, attracting international players and becoming a major source of revenue for the sport. The format's success led to a decline in one-day international matches and an increase in T20 games. The IPL's influence is also seen in other countries establishing their own T20 leagues, though none have the same viewership or financial success as the IPL.

15:04

💰 The Financial Impact and Future of Cricket

This final paragraph addresses the financial implications of T20 cricket and its impact on the sport's future. It raises concerns about players potentially prioritizing T20 leagues over international matches due to higher earnings, and the shift in cricket's power dynamics from England to India. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the evolution of cricket, emphasizing the importance of entertainment and the inevitability of change in the sport, suggesting that there is no turning back from the T20 format and its influence on cricket's global landscape.

Keywords

💡Laws of Cricket

The 'Laws of Cricket' are the official rules governing the game, distinct from mere 'rules' as they suggest a more formal and rigid structure. Originating in 19th-century London at Lord's, the 'home of cricket,' these laws reflect the sport's deeply ingrained tradition and its British roots. The use of 'laws' instead of 'rules' emphasizes the sport's seriousness and the cultural importance placed on cricket in British society.

💡Test Cricket

'Test Cricket' refers to the traditional, long-form version of cricket, typically played over five days with each team having two innings. This format is known for its complexity and endurance, described as a 'test of attrition.' Test cricket is deeply rooted in the history and culture of the game, symbolizing the sport's strategic depth and the patience required from both players and spectators.

💡Lord's

Lord's is a historic cricket ground in London, widely recognized as the 'home of cricket.' It holds a symbolic place in the sport's history, being the site where the Laws of Cricket were codified and where many significant matches have been played. Lord's represents the traditional and ceremonial aspects of cricket, often associated with the sport's British heritage.

💡Twenty20 (T20) Cricket

'Twenty20 (T20) Cricket' is a shorter format of the game, with each team playing a maximum of 20 overs. Introduced in the early 2000s, T20 cricket was designed to make the game more accessible and appealing to a broader audience, especially in an era where traditional formats were losing popularity. T20 has transformed cricket into a fast-paced, entertainment-driven sport, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being a prime example of its global impact.

💡Indian Premier League (IPL)

The 'Indian Premier League (IPL)' is a professional T20 cricket league in India, launched in 2008. It combines cricket with entertainment, featuring Bollywood stars as team owners and drawing massive audiences. The IPL has revolutionized cricket by merging the sport with pop culture, making it a highly lucrative and globally influential competition that attracts top players from around the world.

💡Colonialism and Cricket

Cricket was spread globally through British colonialism, with the sport being introduced to colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries. In many colonies, cricket became a way to challenge and even 'beat the colonizers at their own game.' This historical context highlights the sport's role in the cultural and political dynamics between the colonizing British and their colonies, especially in countries like India and the West Indies.

💡World Cup

The 'World Cup' in cricket refers to the international tournament that began in 1975, bringing together teams from around the world. It introduced a shorter format, requiring matches to be completed in a single day. The World Cup has played a crucial role in globalizing cricket, allowing nations, especially former British colonies, to compete on the world stage and showcase their cricketing prowess.

💡Tamasha

'Tamasha' is an Indian term meaning fun, excitement, and spectacle, which has been used to describe the nature of one-day and T20 cricket. The term captures the vibrant and entertaining spirit of these formats, particularly in the Indian context, where cricket matches are celebrated with the same enthusiasm as a Bollywood movie, blending sports with entertainment.

💡Shift of Power in Cricket

The 'Shift of Power in Cricket' refers to the transition of influence and control in the sport from England to India. As cricket evolved, particularly with the rise of T20 and the IPL, India became the new epicenter of cricket, driving the sport's global popularity and economic growth. This shift symbolizes a broader cultural change, where former colonies now lead the way in a sport once dominated by their colonizers.

💡Attrition

In the context of cricket, 'Attrition' refers to the endurance and mental strength required to play long formats like Test cricket. It emphasizes the prolonged, strategic battle between teams, where success often depends on the ability to outlast the opponent over several days. This concept highlights the intense, demanding nature of traditional cricket, contrasting with the more fast-paced, entertainment-driven formats like T20.

Highlights

Cricket is an old British sport with laws rather than rules, which some find pompous.

Cricket's laws were mostly written in 19th-century London at Lord's, considered the sport's home.

Cricket has a unique tradition, including a tea break during the game.

The sport has evolved with a new form that brings in more money, fans, and a different style of play.

Cricket is considered one of the most complicated sports on Earth.

A single cricket match between India and Pakistan in 2015 was watched by an estimated one billion people.

Cricket's popularity has grown despite its complexity and peculiar terminology.

The British spread cricket around the world through their colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Cricket was used by colonies as an opportunity to compete against their colonizers.

The introduction of the cricket World Cup in 1975 allowed countries to prove themselves on a global stage.

India's victory in the 1983 World Cup marked a new confidence and emergence of the country on the global stage.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) was launched in 2008, combining cricket with entertainment and fast-paced action.

The IPL has attracted players from around the world and has become a significant source of revenue for cricketers.

The success of the IPL has led to the creation of other T20 leagues around the world.

The shift towards T20 cricket has seen a decline in traditional one-day international matches.

The power dynamics of cricket have shifted from England to India, reflecting changing global interests and markets.

The future of cricket is being shaped by entertainment value and audience engagement rather than traditional formats.

Transcripts

[narrator] Cricket is an old British sport.

Very well played, sir.

Cricket... of course, doesn't even have rules.

It has laws.

And that immediately strikes some people as pompous and self-regarding.

[narrator] Those laws were mostly written in 19th-century London

at a pitch still considered the home of cricket

called Lord's.

[newsreel narrator] For this is Lord's:

deeply rooted in tradition and in the ritual tradition brings.

You know, God bless cricket.

It has a tea break in the game.

[Brian Lara] It's definitely a test of attrition.

A lot of people can't get their mind around,

"How do you stand out there for five days?"

[narrator] But cricket has changed.

There's a new form of the sport

That's bringing in more money, fans, and a different style of play.

But one thing hasn't changed.

[Kimber] It's complicated.

It is one of the most complicated sports on Earth.

It's totally wiggly.

It doesn't even follow any apparent obvious reason.

[narrator] That didn't put off the one billion people

that were estimated to have watched a single cricket match in 2015

between India and Pakistan.

That's one in seven humans.

So how did this confusing British game

become one of the most popular sports on Earth?

[newsreel announcer] And here's the England side coming into the field.

[crowd cheering]

[newsreel narrator] A subtle battle between a slice of willow

and a round of leather.

[man shouts] Yeah! Got it.

[crowd cheering]

[announcer 1] West Indian skipper, Brian Lara.

[announcer 2] What a great victory.

[announcer 3] Unbelievable scenes here at the World Cup.

[announcer 4] This is certainly not an Englishman's game anymore.

[theme music playing]

[Mandvi] Two teams of 11 play each other

on a field shaped like an oval.

The batting team has two players on the field at a time

on either end of the pitch.

They're trying to score runs,

while the fielding team is trying to get them out.

On each side of the pitch is a wicket.

The wicket is three stumps topped by two bails.

A batsman stands in front of a wicket

trying to hit the ball delivered by a bowler

from the other end of the pitch.

If the batsman hits the ball, they score runs

by exchanging positions with the other batsmen.

Each exchange equals one run.

While they're running, the fielders try to get the ball

and hit one of the wickets before a batsman gets there.

If they don't make it before the ball knocks the bails off the stumps,

they're out and the new batsman comes in.

If the batsman hits the ball hard enough, they won't have to run.

If they hit it to the boundary, it's worth four runs.

And all the way over the boundary...

that's six.

If a fielder catches the ball,

the batsman is out.

The bowler can also get a batsman out if their delivery hits the wicket,

knocking the bails off the stumps.

A batsman can choose not to swing

or swing and miss the ball,

and he won't get out as long as the wicket is safe.

The bowler, however, can only bowl six deliveries at a time.

That's called an "over," and it's really important.

After each over, a teammate takes their place.

When ten of the 11 batsman are out,

it's called an "innings" and the other team bats.

In traditional cricket, each team has two innings in the match

and the team with the most runs at the end wins.

If they haven't finished after five days,

the umpire calls a draw.

Technically there are ten ways to get out.

But if you ask someone to explain them,

cricket can get very confusing very quickly.

Leg before wicket, one of the ways someone can be out

and the nature of the umpire,

the nature of fielding positions:

silly mid-on, silly mid-off, extra cover, third man.

It's all very coded and peculiar, cricket. I suppose that's the problem.

[Mandvi] The British didn't just write the rules of cricket...

they spread it around the world

by taking it to their colonies in the 18th and 19th centuries.

British soldiers played it,

and the local people either took to it or didn't.

In Canada, they didn't particularly.

A bit cold.

So they went to the ice hockey instead.

But in the warmer countries, it seems obviously to have taken off.

[Mandvi] Even the United States played

before baseball became the patriotic pastime.

America decided cricket smacked of colonialism,

and therefore, they were not going to play.

[Mandvi] But in other colonies, playing cricket was an opportunity

to beat the colonizers at their own game.

And the English began inviting teams

to come test their skills against them in England.

The competitions were called test matches,

which is what the long form of the game continues to be called.

Most of the countries and the top countries that play the game

has that little element of wanting to get back at the English.

[Mandvi] And the colonies got a new opportunity

to do that starting in 1975,

when cricket got a World Cup.

Without the World Cup, cricket would still be a gentlemanly agreement.

"Oh, yeah, we're free at that time of year. We'll come over."

Whereas the World Cup gives everyone the chance to prove themselves.

[Mandvi] In order to play a tournament, matches needed to be shorter

and end with a winner and a loser.

So they played a one-day form of the game

that limited the number of overs faced by each team.

[crowd roaring]

The first two World Cups were both won by the West Indies.

My mother was jumping in the kitchen when the West Indies were winning.

Did she care about the game that much? No.

Did she understand the game that much? No.

But cricket meant a lot to us as West Indians,

and not just in the Caribbean.

[Mandvi] In the third World Cup, England didn't even make the finals.

They had lost to India,

a team playing against the West Indies

after having won a single game in the first two World Cups.

In the final, nobody gave India a chance.

They were like interlopers.

On the day of the match, the feeling was,

"Who are these people? Why are they at Lord's?

Why isn't England at Lord's?"

[Mandvi] But on the turf of their former colonizer

and with odds of 66 to one,

India won.

[Bose] In '83 was, for the first time,

Indians at home watch their team win abroad.

[crowd cheering]

This is a new India emerging.

I mean, the economic prosperity of India came a decade later.

But if you think, that marked the moment when India was confident.

[crowd cheering]

We played like winners.

Throughout the game, throughout the series.

Everybody fight for their lives,

and they said, "We will do it."

Nineteen eighty-three, that generation began to feel

they didn't look to have a merit certificate from England

to feel that they were good enough to compete in the world.

India, for the first time, began to show that a country of that size,

if it has prosperity,

if it has television reach,

it can play an enormous part in reshaping cricket, which it has done.

[Mandvi] Four years later,

India hosted the first World Cup

outside of England.

[crowd cheering]

There's an Indian word called "tamasha,"

which means fun, excitement, glamour,

uncertainty all rolled into one.

And one day cricket became instant tamasha.

[crowd cheering]

-[whistle blows] -[cheering continues]

[Fry] You just are amazed

that something that was started on green turf

at the site of an English church,

and, you know, polite applause

and, "Well played, good fellow,"

becomes this screaming religious ceremony.

-[crowd roaring] -[announcer 1] Pakistan win the World Cup.

A magnificiant performance in front of 87,000 people.

Imran Khan is waiting inside.

[crowd cheering]

[announcer 2] McGrath wide on the crease and that goes for four.

And the crowd loving every minute of it.

[announcer 3] Could be caught...

Is caught.

Sachin Tendulkar celebrates.

[Kimber] Political power then became

that the World Cup was worth so much money

and that India and Pakistan were bringing in so much of that money,

that the sort of democratization of the game,

and it went from being England and Australia running the game

to a more global thing.

[Mandvi] In England, domestic cricket was losing fans,

so something was done to save the sport at home,

but it would only accelerate the power shift to Asia.

In the early 2000s, a British TV Network

paid for Stuart Robinson and his marketing team

to research what the problem was.

The key word that came out of that was cricket was "inaccessible."

It was a sport for the posh.

[Mandvi] Robertson had an idea:

an even shorter form of cricket

limited to just 20 overs for each team

that would last three hours.

[Robertson] And we asked those people

if we introduced a game of cricket that lasted less than three hours,

would they come to see the game?

And all of those people who were indexed

as never having come to a cricket match before,

they massively over indexed in saying,

"Yes, we would come to that."

[Mandvi] They called the new format "twenty20,"

"T20" for short,

and pitched it to the heads of English cricket at Lord's.

We were arranged around this enormous table in alphabetical order.

So it started with Derbyshire, then Durham, Essex,

and it went all the way around to Yorkshire.

You know, the 60-year-old white males

who had loved their traditional cricket, don't particularly like change.

Then the vote went up,

started counting the hands as quickly as I could,

and we realized that it was 11-seven in favor.

[Mandvi] The next summer, T20 made its debut in England.

The guy on the P.A. system,

at start of the game, he said,

"Welcome to the future of cricket."

And it was amazing. It was a great statement.

[Mandvi] Not everyone agreed.

I still remain... to be sold on the idea.

I don't like the razzmatazz that's going to go with it.

[Mandvi] The rest of the world got their opportunity

to judge the new format in 2005.

[announcer] We welcome the world into Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand,

the first ever Twenty20 international in the history of the game.

New Zealand against Australia.

It felt a little bit like they weren't taking it very seriously.

[announcer] And here they come.

Look at Hamish Marshall in the background.

-[laughter] -Goodness me. What is he on?

Or a lot like they weren't taking it very seriously.

They were all but drinking during the game.

And that tells you how serious the game was.

Oh, my heavens!

They look like a psychedelic funk band

from Chicago in 1975.

[Mandvi] That reputation stuck,

and when the format got its own World Cup,

the advertising made it clear that T20 cricket was for...

[man] Party people!

The ICC World T20. From 11 to 24th of September

it's off the hook!

India were like, "This is stupid. We've already got one-day cricket.

We're more than happy. We don't need this other stupid thing."

T20 cricket was an English invention.

India was almost dragged

into the World Cup of 2007 in Johannesburg.

They were were virtually dragged there.

They sent over a young team.

That happened to be the best thing they could've done,

because a lot of the old players didn't really understand T20 cricket,

whereas the young players kind of understood

that you had to go as hard as you could.

[announcer] Yuvraj goes into the crowd.

That's massive.

Of all the teams that India were playing, it was Pakistan.

They were going to lose to Pakistan in the final,

and then Misbah-ul-Haq, just as he's about to hit the winning runs,

hits the ball straight up in the air.

[announcer] In the air, Shrijan takes it.

India wins!

[Bose] The Johannesburg miracle.

And, as a result of that,

India said, "Oh, this is T20."

If one day cricket was tamasha,

this was super tamasha.

[Mandvi] In 2008, India launched a new T20 tournament

called the Indian Premier League.

[man] Indian Premier League, say!

[Mandvi] In the first two years, the IPL doubled in value.

And in the decade since,

it has developed a unique brand of cricket

that combines entertainment with fast-paced action

and attracts players from around the world.

[crowd cheering]

[narrator] Team owners include Bollywood stars

like Preity Zinta and Shahrukh Khan,

who take an active role in promoting the league.

India, cricket, and film is a religion,

and blending the two is quite a mix.

It's quite exciting.

With IPL, the Indians finally discovered a three-hour Bollywood movie

which is actually live cricket.

It is player number eight.

[Mandvi] Every season opens with the auction

where celebrity owners bid for players.

Teams also create their own anthems,

like this one promoting the Kolkata Knight Riders

and featuring Bollywood star and team owner, Shah Rukh Khan.

-♪ We're too hot ♪ -♪ Too hot ♪

-♪ We're too cool ♪ -♪ Too cool ♪

♪ Kolkatta Night Riders ♪

♪ We rule ♪

The Indian Premier League version,

with its extraordinary made-for-television excitements

and these wonderful sort of routines

and dances and flames going up.

They've brought in American...

What do you call them? Not the can-can girls...

American cheerleaders.

Cricket has never had a prime-time TV product

that we can put on every night of the week.

And that is essentially what has turned T20 in

from being a very good game for crowds to go to

to being the number one thing in cricket.

There's no turning back.

If the sponsors are telling you

this is where they want to put their funds,

and the spectators are coming through the gates

and the TV rights are huge in T20 compared to other things,

then you've got to run with it.

[Mandvi] The number of international matches

of one-day cricket has declined over the last decade,

while the number of international T20s has increased.

Over a century after England introduced test cricket to the colonies,

this new form of the game has spread outwards from India.

India has given a model for other countries to follow.

When the IPL was successful, all these other places went,

"Oh, we'll set up our own leagues and we'll try and be successful."

The difference is that the money and the TV

is just not as strong in some of those other places.

So the BBL in Australia is very successful league.

It just doesn't have a billion people willing to watch it.

Now it is IPL is where they earn the money.

All the cricketers from this country want to go and play in IPL.

[Mandvi] When international cricketers were asked

if they would consider rejecting an opportunity to play for their country

if they were offered more money to play professional T20,

half responded, "yes."

People will develop an opinion

that some players don't like playing for their country.

They're just running the money down,

but sport is about money, you know?

You have to make a living. You're a sportsperson.

This is entertainment.

And you can watch it every night, and there'll be an unfolding narrative.

And that's what sport is at its best.

I've got no problem with that.

If cricket isn't trying to entertain people,

I'm not really sure why we're playing it.

The game has evolved.

And, again, entertainment is key.

So even though I have a great appreciation for test cricket

and my career was spanned over the period when test cricket was strong,

I still have an understanding of where the game has to go,

where it has gone,

and there's no turning back.

[Mandvi] And wherever the game goes,

it won't be decided by British gentleman sitting in a boardroom.

[kids shouting]

The power of cricket has shifted from England to India.

There's no question about it.

Why Lord's is still seen as the home of cricket?

That's the symbolic home of cricket.

It's like seeing Rome as the great capital of the world.

That was a long time ago.

You know, that is in history.

[theme music playing]