Lalit Modi Rilee Rossouw. Image Credits: AFP/X
Rilee Rossouw seems to have inadvertently sparked a major controversy earlier this month. Currently in Pakistan as part of the Quetta Gladiators franchise for the ongoing PSL 2026 season, the seasoned South African batter recently compared the high-profile IPL in India to a ‘Bollywood’ movie.
While Rossouw’s remarks earned him quite a few points among Pakistan fans and PSL fanatics, it did not go down particularly with a section of Indian fans and former cricketers. Even former New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram recently reacted to Rossouw’s statements by describing India’s IPL a ‘behemoth’ of T20 leagues.
Amid the growing debate, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has now weighed in with a sharp response, firmly defending the stature and global appeal of the league.
Lalit Modi responds to Rilee Rossouw’s ‘IPL Bollywood’ remark
Indian businessman and IPL founder Lalit Modi has fired a sharp response to South African cricketer Rilee Rossouw in light of the latter’s controversial remarks against India’s annual T20 carnival. Taking to X, the former IPL chairman and ex-league commissioner stated that he launched the tournament with an aim of creating an unpredictable competition filled with “suspense, drama and unforgettable finishes”.
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Lalit Modi also bragged about the staggering viewership numbers of the IPL, as it currently stands as one of the world’s “greatest stages” for young talented players.
Lalit Modi wrote “A movie has a script. Great cricket doesn’t. When I built the IPL, the vision was simple: create a tournament where nobody knows the result till the last over — full of suspense, drama and unforgettable finishes. That isn’t less cricket. That is amazing cricket. And it has become one of the greatest stages in the world for discovering young talent. I have always said: we created Cricket meeting Entertainment — resulting in the greatest SPORTSTAINMENT property in the world. The viewership numbers tell it all.”
What did Rilee Rossouw say about IPL amid IPL 2026?
Last weekend, Rilee Rossouw was asked to compare Pakistan’s PSL with India’s IPL as he continues to represent the Quetta Gladiators franchise for the PSL 2026 season.
During an interview, he said “IPL is a very long tournament, and PSL is a much more compact tournament where the competition is a lot more fierce. IPL obviously has the whole Bollywood backing it, so it's a lot more of a movie than actual cricket”
Interestingly, Rossouw himself has played 22 IPL games in the past for three different IPL franchises. He spent two seasons playing for the RCB under the leadership of then captain Virat Kohli.
In the ongoing PSL 2026, the 36-year-old has so far aggregated 79 runs in four innings at a dismal average of 19.75 for the Quetta Gladiators.
Controversy Adds Another Chapter To IPL vs PSL Rivalry
The IPL vs PSL rivalry has long been a subject of passionate debate among players and fans, often drawing contrasting views on competitiveness, scale, and global appeal. While several Pakistan fans claim PSL to be a bigger league, several IPL franchises have massive fan-following in the country.
Moreover, several overseas players have also time and again preferred participating in IPL seasons in India.
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