Now, you too can buy IPL teams, players

IPL 4 may be over, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait till next year to enjoy the game. International sports and entertainment collectibles company, Topps, has launched IPL Cricket Attax, the official trading card game of the tournament. “The cards are based on statistics from the previous season. The idea is for players to create the best team of 11 that they can, using the cards they have bought or traded,” says Sanjeev Katyal, head of India operations, Topps.

The game consists of 200 cards, of which 150 represent 15 players each from the 10 IPL teams. The remaining cards – 25 silver foil and 25 gold foil – have special functions. They include Star Players, Auction Stars, Man of the Match, Hat Trick Hero, Power Play cards and the IPL LOGO card. Every starter pack — consisting of 5 cards, a cardboard pitch and squad box comes reasonably priced at R 49. Buying more cards will set you back by R 15 for every pack of 5. “Once the players configure their teams, they participate in a strategic game on the pitch. It’s not just about trading cards, there’s gaming skill attached to it,” affirms Katyal.

The game, which was launched this year in association with the IPL, even saw a city-level event at the 10 team venues, where two champions were selected. The company is now planning to introduce World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and English Premier League (EPL) football cards too.

First Published: May 30, 2011 13:41 IST