With T20 leagues gaining popularity, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is exploring options to launch a new global tournament called the World Club Championship. This event is considered a revival of the Champions League T20 (CLT20), which ran from 2009 until it ended in 2014.
In recent years, several countries have launched short-format cricket leagues, including The Hundred in England, SA20 in South Africa, ILT20 in the UAE, and MLC in the United States. The England and Wales Cricket Board is now exploring club competitions, following examples set by football and rugby.
There Will Be a World Club Championship – ECB CEO Richard Gould
The ECB is in the early stages of planning to revive a tournament similar to the Champions League T20. ECB CEO Richard Gould said that creating a global World Club Championship would bring much-needed structure and significance to the expanding franchise cricket scene.
Your daily dose of cricket!
“That is on the cards,” Gould said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. “Without doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship – for both men and women. That’s the next logical step.”
The Champions League T20 was jointly organized by the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa from 2009 to 2014. Despite a valuable broadcast deal, the tournament faced commercial difficulties and ended after six seasons due to low public interest.
That Tournament Was Ahead of Its Time – Richard Gould on Champions League T20
Richard Gould, Somerset’s chief executive during the inaugural Champions League T20 in 2009, recalled their opening win against IPL champions Deccan Chargers. He described the tournament as ahead of its time but added that it fell short of commercial expectations.
“That tournament was ahead of its time,” Gould said. “Commercially, it couldn’t keep up with the expectations on it, but it was a really good event.”
The ECB did not play an active role in managing the CLT20, and English teams missed the last two editions because they conflicted with the County Championship finals. One of the main obstacles in reviving a similar tournament is scheduling it within cricket’s already crowded international calendar.
Definitely We Can Look at That – IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal
The World Club Championship would need support from Indian franchises, as most IPL and WPL owners also have stakes in other T20 leagues worldwide. Arun Dhumal, the IPL chairman, expressed openness to the idea if it benefits global cricket.
Arun Dhumal, the IPL chairman, told ESPNcricinfo last month, “If it creates value for cricket at a global stage, definitely we can look at that.”
“ESPNcricinfo understands that England would likely be represented by the winners of the Hundred, rather than the T20 Blast, if the event were to go ahead,” the report read.
Last year, Guyana introduced the Global Super League, featuring five teams from different T20 leagues. The upcoming second edition will include champions from Australia’s Big Bash League, New Zealand’s Super Smash, and the UAE’s ILT20.
Also read: Nitish Rana takes indirect dig at Shreyas Iyer as PBKS lose IPL final
