India, June 4 -- The 2007 T20 World Cup changed the course of cricket in more ways than one. While India's triumph in the inaugural tournament remains one of the most memorable moments in the country's cricketing history, it also set the stage for a transformation that would reshape the sport globally. The success of the event paved the way for the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, which has since become the biggest franchise cricket tournament in the world and a major revenue generator for the BCCI. Then BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi was the driving force behind the league, playing a key role in bringing the T20 format into the spotlight and turning it into a commercially successful product.

India's victory in South Af...