Active discussions underway between BCCI, Cricket Australia and ECB on reviving Champions League T20 club tournament
The cricket boards of India, Australia and England are evaluating options to revive the iconic Champions League T20 club tournament, according to Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins. In an exclusive interaction, Cummins revealed top cricket boards are engaged in active discussions about resurrecting the popular tournament which was last held in 2014 and won by Chennai Super Kings.
Cummins stated the Champions League T20 came ahead of its time when it was originally launched but the explosive growth of T20 cricket globally in recent years has created a conducive environment to bring it back. With domestic T20 leagues in several countries attracting massive viewership and investments, reviving Champions League T20 could help settle the ongoing debate about which is the strongest domestic T20 competition.
Outlining Cricket Australia's support for the plan, Cummins said having the best clubs from leading T20 leagues like IPL, Big Bash League and PSL competing under one roof will be a delight for fans and help determine the strongest domestic set up. He believes such a high profile Champions League style tournament is the logical next step to take club cricket to a global stage.
While a crammed international calendar remains a challenge, Cummins stated the Women's Champions League could be launched ahead of the men's event by featuring stars of Women's Big Bash League, The Hundred and other prominent leagues. The CEO was of the view that a compelling Champions League featuring star players from Mumbai Indians, Melbourne Stars and other top clubs will excite fans worldwide.
Provides details from original article about previous editions of Champions League T20 held from 2009-2014 involving teams from India, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand. States Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings won the tournament twice each.
