Cricket and Bollywood are two forces to reckon with, as far as most Indian interests are concerned. Its IPL time again, and although the league format is pretty much ripped off from major football club style competitions, it's a massive hit with the masses. As cricket becomes entertainment, and the tournament kick starts today, here are four ways that you can enjoy the game from the comfort of your PC and an internet connection.

1. Book Tickets
   Watching matches in a stadium is an experience you cannot equate to watching it on television, even if you have all your friends over. Why not catch your home team live in action right from where it happens this year? Tickets for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Delhi Daredevils (DD), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Pune Warriors India (PWI) are available via BookMyShow.com. Fans of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Deccan Chargers (DC), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) can head over to Ticketgenie.in. For those wanting to catch Chennai Super Kings live, you will have to register on chennaisuperkings.com and only then you can book match tickets.
    

2. Catch The Action Online
   Even if you don't have a television set, or are working late and will miss out on catching the telecast, leave alone heading towards a stadium, then you don't need to feel left out. You can watch live matches on IPL's YouTube channel. However, the streaming may be a bit choppy on slower connections, and the match relays with a five-minute time lag. Having said that, I did watch IPL 4 on it; and the service was quite impressive.
    

3. Socialize With Your Favourite Teams
   Looking at how each team is trying to connect to its fan base, it seems like IPL fever is spilling over to social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter, apart from the each team's official websites. The MI page is quite interesting, as it introduces its players and lets fans connect with ease. The CSK page recently hosted a QnA session via webcast with captain MS Dhoni. However, the KKR page seems more about its owner than the team. The RR page and its Twitter page are interesting too with several autographed merchandise up for grabs. Rest of the teams also have a presence on the social network, but nothing is worth mentioning.
   
   Considering that SRK, Shilpa Shetty, and Priety Zinta are Twitter-lovers, these teams seem to be faring well on the microblog instead. Even on Twitter, KKR seems to be busy thanking its huge list of sponsors, in addition to involving its loyal followers.
    

4. Play It Virtually
   If you want to be closer to the action and have some fun, then you can play IPLT20 virtually as well. An Australia-based website called VirtualSPORTS enables you to create your own IPL dream team by picking the best players across the globe. The team you pick will earn points depending on how well these players fare in the real game through the 76-match tournament, including the finals. All you need to do is register and start playing. Hope this makes the tournament more fun for you.

So, which team are you backing this year? Do let us know through your comments.

Tags : Internet, Sports, Kamakshi