Something doesn’t seem to be clicking Online Cricket Id, does it? Don’t be concerned; we’ve all been there. It may be an Instagram post, a headline, or even a clip from the SA20 where the squad jerseys are identical to their Indian counterparts. Returning to the headline, it is from a news story written following an ILT20 match between the Giants and the Capitals. The argument is that we have officially entered an era in which the amount of cricket played may have crossed the “TOO MUCH” line.
T20 Leagues’ Newcomers
As a typical Indian cricket fan, I never dreamed there would come a day when I would grow tired of the game, yet here we are. To put things into perspective, there are currently five T20 leagues operating concurrently throughout the world. The BBL and BPL are the most well-known of the bunch. As is customary in New Zealand, Super Smash is taking place away from the spotlight. The two new kids on the block, who, if I may add, have extremely rich and prominent parents, have grabbed the headlines! The SA20 and ILT20 have exploded onto the scene, and the cricketing world is taking notice, and I dare say, very closely.
So, what’s all the commotion about? Let’s take this step by step. The SA20 league comprises six teams, all of which were purchased by IPL franchise owners. Three of the ILT20’s six teams have also been purchased by IPL club owners. What we see here are businesspeople expanding their products into international markets, and we all knew this day was coming. Gone are the days when IPL was a caged animal let loose for a few months during a summer carnival. The IPL and its franchises are now influencing Online Cricket Id in general. I’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s a blessing or a curse for the sport.
The Vocabulary of Workload
To return to the original point, with so many T20 leagues throughout the world, it is impossible for a player to have an off month on his schedule. It has resulted in the term “workload” entering our common lexicon. I understand that every player is aware of his or her own body, that workload must be handled, and so on. Is it, however, acceptable for players to take a break from an international duty just 10 weeks into the IPL? It sounds strange from a cricketing sense.
T20 Leagues’ Corporate Affairs
Unfortunately, with these T20 tournaments, the barrier between sports and business has gotten increasingly blurred. The club owners want the best players in the world to wear their jerseys, which is where the bidding war begins. Everything else takes a back place, including the best interests of the foreign assignments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doubting anyone’s loyalty to their country side, nor am I in the position to do so; all I’m trying to show is that things aren’t black and white in today’s world, but rather a collection of grey regions.
To illustrate my idea, let’s look at a recent occurrence and let you determine which side of the coin appears to be correct. The schedules of the ILT20 and the BBL collide for a large portion of both tournaments, making it impossible to play both. Given the lack of committed Indian players in worldwide competitions, Australian players are among the most valuable BUYS for any team, let alone franchises in a new league.
It appeared that perhaps 15 Australian stars were offered contracts worth double the largest offer in the BBL to leave the latter and light up stadiums in the UAE. This places additional strain on Cricket Australia to maintain an already established competition. It would be a shame if the BBL’s best stars were not present. Fortunately for them, the Australian players turned up and played in their home league. It does pose the question though “Is cricket going to go wherever money leads”? It should be the other way around ideally, but I’ll leave it at that.
The Opposite
By no means should we dismiss the benefits that these T20 leagues bring to our favorite sport. Better fielding standards, a larger audience, and a more independent approach to playing cricket are just a few examples. It would be an understatement to suggest that the game has rediscovered itself in the previous decade. However, every powerful system gradually corrodes the exact objective it was designed to serve. All I’m asking is, “Will we cross that line in 2023?”
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