Reports | Bilateral Cricket likely to be reduced due to longer durations of domestic leagues, confirms ICC Chairman
Bilateral Cricket likely to be reduced due to longer durations of domestic leagues
|BCCI
As per a report filed by PTI, ICC Chairman Greg Barclay has said that the bilateral contests between international teams may get 'squeezed' if the window for T20 leagues like the IPL keep getting longer. IPL has been expanded to 74 games over a two-month window compared to 60 matches last season.
According to a report filed by PTI, ICC Chairman Greg Barclay may opt to reduce bilateral cricket because of longer durations of domestic T20 leagues such as Indian Premier League (IPL). With the additions of two new franchises in IPL 2022, the tournament has been expanded to 74 matches over a two-month window, compared to 60 games last season.
Barclay was asked how one strikes a balance between the IPL and the international calendar. "It is a good question. There will be an increase in both the scoping scale of some of the domestic leagues like the IPL and possibly some of the others and there will be new leagues," he was quoted as saying by PTI.
"But they are the sovereign domain of the members, the domestic competitions, they can run as they choose to. But more events, and longer time periods through those events mean there is going to be squeeze, we know there are only 365 days a year...
"So if there are more domestic leagues, that are attracted to the players, so something has to go and I don’t think ICC events, which are there every year, and those events have got more teams, so they are going to take longer, so the bit that gets squeezed are the bilateral arrangements.”
However, Barclay heaped praise on IPL, saying: “First thing I would say after two years of not being able to travel, it is great to be back in India. And great to have my first trip back with the IPL – the semis and the final coming up.
"So, I love the IPL, it is a great competition and I think India and the BCCI have done something quite wonderful with cricket. It is a spectacle that I am honoured to be able to go along and watch and kind of be a part of. Credit to the country."
