Six weeks that changed cricket

On April 18, as the first IPL game got underway, cricket was reborn. Corporate megabucks, Bollywood spectacle and the frequent sound of willow thumping leather, the new cocktail was revolutionizing the sport in the way it was played, viewed and managed. Here are the tournament's 10 trendsetters:Boys who came from nowhere: From Australian outback's, Punjab small-towns and Bengal backwaters, they suddenly emerged. A clutch of nerveless unknown desi and firang talents took IPL by storm. Who would have thought that among the million dollar big boys, an unauctioned Australian rookie (Shaun Marsh) would outscore everybody else in the league phase? And that a Punjab paceman whose only USP was that his surname, Gony, rhymed with Dhoni, would take more wickets than Shaun Pollock or Zaheer Khan?But for IPL, how many years would it have taken for Shikhar Dhawan, Abhishek Nayar, Amit Mishra, Ashok Dinda, Swapnil Asnodkar and Yo Mahesh to be seen, recognized and admired? His amazing level of consistency meant that Team Mohali got off to a flier more often than not.

Rajasthan Royals are IPL champions

After 44 days of mind-boggling action and a no-holds-barred feud among eight fierce franchisees, Rajasthan Royals pipped Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in the thrilling grand finale to lift the inaugural Indian Premier League on Sunday. Chasing Super Kings' modest total of 163 for five, the Royals rode on a brilliant all-round display by Yusuf Pathan, who took three wickets and top-scored with a 39-ball 56 to overhaul the score off the last ball after needing eight from the last over.Sohail Tanvir (9 not out) hit the winning run, a pull off the expensive L Balaji, in the company of his inspiring captain Shane Warne, who was not out on 9 in a final score of 164 for seven.The winners received the top prize of $1.2 million and a glittering gem-laden trophy while the runners-up won $600,000.