It's a decade since the first official Twenty20 cricket match was played

It was June 13, 2013 the day that Hampshire took on Sussex at the Rose Bowl to play what at that time was considered to be a not so welcome form of cricket, playing 20 instead of 50 overs or the longer form of 5 days of Test cricket.

ECB's marketing manager Stuart Robertson decided in 2001 that one-day cricket in England, the country where the game was born was growing stale. Robertson suggested a bright idea of a 20-over competition which was not very eagerly accepted by his colleagues in the ECB.

Since that cold June day a decade ago there has been enormous thrills, chills and drama on the field as well as off it. Bowlers, batsmen, fielders and captains have all done their best to turn the tide of the fast-paced game in their favour. Innovative shots, dare-devil fielding, economic bowling and brave captaincy moves have been the buzz word of the T20 format.

England exported the shortest form of the game across the globe and this has changed the face of cricket with leagues like the Indian Premier League or IPL which has skirted a lot of controversy, Bangladesh, Australian, Sri Lanka and West Indies also have their own T20 cricket leagues.

With fans both in England and the rest of the world flocking to watch the high-intensity matches, cricket in the last decade has come alive in a new way.

The T20 world cups and leagues also boast of high TRPs which are a testimony to their popularity across the globe.

Cricket has evolved and T20 has it's lovers and haters but it is surely a format that has resurrected cricket in the land where the gentleman's game was born.

So as T20 cricket turns 10, fans will be wishing that every game is played in the spirit that is associated with the game of fair-play and respect. The bettings, spot-fixing and scandals will hopefully end and all the scandals will not overshadow a game that is well-loved by many.