5 Interesting Facts You Should Know about IPL

The player auction of the IPL 2024 recently concluded on December 19 and all the franchises have jam-packed their teams and have tightened their seatbelts to win the race of trophy. The IPL will kickstart from 22nd March and will end on 26th May.

Here are some lesser-known facts about IPL that every cricket enthusiast must know-

Sourav Ganguly played the first ball of the IPL -

Sourav Ganguly, a former captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders and India, faced the opening ball of the IPL's first season. Alongside former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who against Royal Challengers Bangalore got the first-ever IPL century. This inning contributed to the tournament's increased exposure to Indian viewers.

2. Praveen Kumar bowled the first ball of the IPL -

The former swing bowler for India began his IPL career with the Rajasthan Royals. In the match against KKR, he bowled the opening ball, and McCullum's 158 not out to start the tournament was also bowled by him. Kumar, meantime, is another bowler with an IPL hat-trick. His IPL career saw him play for teams like SRH and MI.

3. Zaheer Khan took the first wicket in the IPL of Sourav Ganguly -

In the final over of the powerplay in the IPL's inaugural match, Khan removed Ganguly, the former captain of India. There were already 61 runs on the board at that point. Jacques Kallis grabbed left-hander Ganguly at slips. He has played for KKR from 2011 to 2014.

4. Brendon McCullum smashed the 1st Hundred in IPL -

His first IPL hundred may have been remembered by the spectators from the first season's opening match. He hit 158 off 73 balls (not out) in that match, with 10 fours and 13 sixes. By the end of the inning, the team had reached 222/3 thanks to his monumental innings. The Royal Challengers, in response, could only muster 84 runs in total, 74 fewer than McCullum.

5. Brad Hogg is the oldest player to play in the IPL -

The former Australia left-arm leg-spinner and two-time ODI World Cup winner played for Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders. At the age of 45 in 2015, he played his last for the two-time IPL winners.