WEBDESK: The Champions League T20, previously an important tournament for domestic T20 teams, is close to making a return.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is exploring the possibility of launching a new “World Club Championship” for T20 cricket, more than a decade after the last edition of the Champions League T20 (CLT20).
The tournament, first launched in 2009, featured top T20 clubs from leagues like the IPL, Big Bash League, and others around the world. It was discontinued after 2014 due to a busy international calendar and lack of major commercial success.
Now, nearly a decade later, the cricketing world looks very different. T20 leagues have grown massively, with strong fan bases and world-class players. Experts believe the Champions League T20 might have a better chance of succeeding today than it did in the past.
This is happening as more franchise leagues have been introduced in recent years, including The Hundred in England, SA20 in South Africa, ILT20 in the UAE and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.
Conversations regarding the Champions League T20
According to ECB chief executive Richard Gould, discussions are at an early stage, but the idea of a global club competition is being seriously considered. Gould described the concept as “the next logical step” for the sport, suggesting that a tournament featuring the top teams from various leagues could add much-needed context to the growing franchise calendar.
Nick Cummins, CEO of Cricket Victoria, said there have been talks taking place among the three major boards. He feels the atmosphere is suitable for the international tournament to be held. More people are following T20 cricket today as it has become much more organised.
The first CLT20 took place between 2009 and 2014. It was organised by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa working together. Some of the matches will always be remembered, however, the tournament failed to keep a regular following. Since there were business troubles and time clashes, the show wasn’t continued after that season. Partly thanks to schedule conflicts with the County Championship, English teams could not play in the last two editions.
According to Cummins, the toughest part will be getting a place in the existing cricket calendar. Yet, when the boards manage to agree on a proper date, the Champions League T20 might return. You can see the world’s best T20 clubs playing each other in one event.
Earlier, the tournament bracket included teams from India, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand and others. Viewers might get to see Mumbai Indians vs Sydney Sixers or Lahore Qalandars vs. the Chennai Super Kings.