Cricket legend Brian Lara, is of the view that cricket is a dying sport and that it is the Twenty20 format of the game that will give it a new lease in life by reviving spectator interest in it.the lure of twenty20 is such that the number of test playing countries could reduce to just three or four while international T20 sides could double in five years time.Former Pakistani international batsman Javed Miandad warned lucrative Twenty20 leagues were a virus which threatened to kill off Test cricket.
twenty20 could sound the death knell for test cricket but it could also prove to be the perfect vehicle for the expansion of the game into other countries. the shorter the game, the greater the leveler and twenty20 is an excellent pathway into the elite fold… just think of the fairy-tale qualification of afghanistan for next year's world twenty20.
the next big step will be the growth of cricket in the united states and it's not unrealistic to think there could be 20 countries capable of playing competitive twenty20 cricket within the next five years – surely something to celebrate or is it going to be a mess ???
with the introduction of twenty20 leagues, the notion that 'country comes first' is also hit for six because when there is a choice between national duty and more money, players might choose money. also, not to forget the opportunity it will provide to the upcoming talent, who would have never seen the stage in international arena.
furthermore do you think that IPL will keep its identity as biggest cricket league, once the sport gains popularity in other hitherto non-playing cricketing countries ?
please share your views… also vis-Ã*-vis recent modi/tharoor fiasco. guess, modi grew too big for his shoes, and was slapped befittingly. the game is now a big money spinner with big corporate in to it at the same time our crooked politicians/political parties are also eyeing to make hay while the sun shines.