England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Richard Gould has revealed that a new World Club Championship tournament might be launched to further promote T20 cricket. Around the globe, there are many franchise-based leagues that attract the interest of players, and this proposed tournament aims to bring the best of them together. A similar event – the Champions League T20 – was held in the past and had seen some success, but it was eventually discontinued after a few seasons.
ECB Excited About the Concept
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Richard Gould said, “We are currently in discussions, and there is no doubt that a World Club Championship will take place at some point. What’s even more exciting is that the tournament will be organized for both men’s and women’s teams. This is our next step forward.”
The Champions League T20, jointly organized by the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa, was held from 2009 to 2014. Despite early success, the tournament was discontinued after six editions due to a perceived lack of fan engagement.
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Indian Franchises Also Support the Idea
The proposal for a World Club Championship has generated significant excitement. Interestingly, 8 out of the 10 IPL franchise owners and 4 of the 5 Women’s Premier League (WPL) team owners have shown interest in the tournament. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told ESPNcricinfo last month that if the competition adds value to cricket on the global stage, Indian franchises would be keen to participate.
Last year, Guyana hosted the first edition of a Global Super League, featuring teams from five different franchise leagues. The second edition is scheduled for July this year and will see the participation of champions from Australia’s Big Bash League, New Zealand’s Super Smash, and UAE’s ILT20. So far, only these three leagues have been invited. It remains to be seen which other teams will take part in the second season.