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 move comes as franchise cricket continues to expand, with new leagues such as The Hundred in England, SA20 in South Africa, ILT20 in the UAE, and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States all entering the scene in recent years.
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.
The original CLT20, which ran from 2009 to 2014, was a joint venture between the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa. Despite some memorable matches, the tournament struggled to attract a consistent following and was eventually discontinued due to commercial challenges and scheduling conflicts. English teams, in particular, missed the final two editions because of clashes with the County Championship.
This time, the ECB is looking to address those issues. Any new tournament would require cooperation from IPL franchise owners, many of whom now have stakes in leagues outside India. There is also an indication that, if the event goes ahead, England’s representative would likely be the winner of The Hundred rather than the T20 Blast, reflecting the changing landscape of English domestic cricket.
While the plans are still in the early stages, the ECB’s interest signals a renewed push for a global T20 club competition. If successful, the event could bring together the world’s top franchise teams and offer fans a new level of international club rivalry.
While the concept is in it’s infancy stages, it will be interesting to see if the champions from Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be a part of the rebranded Champions League T20 or not, considering the cross-border tensions between Pakistan and India at an all-time high.
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