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It's that time of the year again when cricket fans simply go berserk. And those managing it are busy celebrating their best harvest season.
Yes, it's IPL time folks!
And, on this occasion, they say, they are back home (after a detour to South Africa last year).
When Kolkata Knight Riders take on defending champions Deccan Chargers in the opener on Friday, it will mark the start of the third season of the cricket extravaganza, 45 days of 'cricketainment' so to speak.
The opening ceremony, as usual, will be a grand affair. We Indians have a fetish to try to impress and this season won't be any different -- the performers ranging from international icons like Lionel Ritchie and UB40 to our very own Deepika Padukone.
IPL III will be aking to IPL II in most aspects, with the addition of a few new players and four more centers - Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Dharamsala and Nagpur - to the existing roster.
The other notable feature will be the introduction of the two-and-a-half minute strategic breaks, which may or may not benefit the teams, but, surely, the organisers.
There are no clear favourites going into the third season and that perhaps is the only redeeming feature of this cricket festival.
So, all's set for the first ball to be bowled at the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai.