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SPORTS JULY 02, 2021 | The Indian Eye 50

The Need for champions league

and a T20 league calendar

A new “Ninety-90 Bash” league has been sanctioned in the UAE.

SL finished its post- This would lead to an in-
COVID leg of the tour- teresting mix of international
Pnament, and the IPL will players in the leagues. Since
soon have its post-COVID leg
in the UAE ending just a few NZ/Australia do not play much
days before the T20 World Cup between June-October, players
begins. The BCCI has even pro- might choose IPL-the Hundred/
CPL-BBL, while English play-
posed a 10-team IPL or two ers might choose PSL-IPL-The
IPLs in a year from next year. Hundred.
Where does this stop? T10
& T20 leagues are popping left The Ideal Cricket Calendar
and right. Tournaments begin- ICC has announced its tour-
ning, stopping, and resuming nament calendar for the next
whenever they feel like. What eight years. Each year, a T20 or
ODI WC, World Test Cham-
is the result? Debatable rota- BrOKEN CrICKET DrEAMs pionship Final, or Champions
tion policies, career-threatening Trophy will occur. A couple of
injuries, early retirements, and
players choosing leagues over NITESH MATHUR months should be sidelined as
international cricket. www.brokencricketdreams.com the pinnacle of the international
calendar.
Here is how the T20 calen-
Champions league – from Australia, New Zealand, that do not make the XI or even dar stands so far:
What Went Wrong? Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lan- squads of the IPL teams. • December-February: Big Bash
Champions League T20 ka, and South Africa failed to Last year, Trinbago Knight League (BBL), Super Smash
(CLT20) was an intriguing ex- go far after decent showing be- Riders were undefeated to their (NZ) Bangladesh Premier
periment held between 2009- tween 2009-2012. CPL title–12 consecutive wins. League (BPL)
2014 that unearthed stars like CLT20 catered towards the Imagine a TKR versus Mum- • February-March: Pakistan Su-
Kieron Pollard. Modeled on IPL, and that is why it failed. bai Indians Champions League per League (PSL)
European football, what could battle? Will be a cracker of the • March-May: Indian Premier
possibly go wrong when the best Why is The revival of contest if it is a fair contest—de- League (IPL)
T20 teams in the world compet- the Champions league pends on which team Trinbago’s • June-August: Global T20 Can-
ed together? captain Pollard plays for. ada (GT20), The Hundred,
Yet, even with such good Needed? How Can the International T20 Vitality Blast
intentions, the tournament Seven years later, it is time and T20 Calendar Coexist? • August-September: Caribbe-
failed—Cluttered internation- to rethink the T20 calendar. Here are some possible solu- an Premier League (CPL)
al calendar, revenue shortfall, The Big Bash is now a decade tions: • September-November: Af-
growing success of the IPL, old. CPL & BPL are 8 years 1. If the player is contracted by a ghanistan Premier League
and the initial failure of other strong. PSL is 5 years old, and national team, they should be (APL), UAE T10 League
leagues were prominent factors. even Sri Lanka, South Africa, obligated to represent their • November-December: Mzan-
The strength of the IPL con- and England have formed stable domestic T20 league in case si Super League (MSL), Lan-
tract meant that if a player rep- leagues. of a conflict in the Champi- ka Premier League (LPL)
resented multiple teams that Half a decade ago, there ons League. Hence, Pollard If the Champions League
qualified, they would be obligat- were just a few T20 specialists— would play for TKR instead needs to be revived, Septem-
ed to play for their IPL team. McCullum, Hodge, De Villiers, of MI. ber-October is ideal subject to
By 2013-14, it was evident Yusuf Pathan, and the World 2. For a nationally contracted the timeframe of world tourna-
that the Indian Premier League Cup winning West Indies gen- player, maximum of 3 leagues ments that year.
was miles ahead. In 2013 (MI eration. Now we have T20 spe- per year should be enforced. T20 leagues are here to
vs RR) & 2014 (CSK vs KKR) cialists everywhere like Babar 3. Boards should accept re- stay, so why not coexist in a
editions, both finalists were IPL Azam, Banton, Allen, Malan, sponsibility and postpone peaceful manner? At the mo-
teams. In 2014, 3 out of the 4 Seifert, Rizwan, Shaheen Shah the league till next year’s ment, everything is disorga-
semifinalists were IPL teams Afridi, Vince, Hales, Stirling, window in case the league is nized. Let us organize it for
(KXIP). The domestic teams Wiese, Powell—talented players suspended. the greater good of cricket.

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