(Reuters) - When the Indian Premier League (IPL) was launched in 2008, nobody expected a semi-retired 37-year-old Shane Warne to lead a Rajasthan Royals side built on a shoestring budget to win one of the most lucrative tournaments in the world.
The glamorous cash-rich Twenty20 franchise league immediately captured the hearts and imagination of a cricket-crazy country as their beloved stars rubbed shoulders with arch rivals and the best players in the world.
