Innovation is the name of the game and the UAE witnessed the birth of a potentially game-changing format this weekend.
The T10 League made its debut in Sharjah with some big international and recently retired stars fighting it out over 10 overs in 90-minute encounters, hoping to squeeze in even more action than a Twenty20 game and hopefully create a new product for cricket consumers to enjoy.
It is a great idea. As has been the case with most cricket innovations, the idea here is to keep the game moving ahead while attracting a more diverse group of fans.
Taking cricket to new markets has been the ultimate target for administrators for a long time with very little success. The United States is one territory cricket is desperate to find a foothold in while the Olympics remains a bridge too far as the Indian board refuses to warm up to the idea of competing at a truly global stage.
The arrival of T10, therefore, adds another intriguing element to the mix. Matches that last 90 minutes can be sold to any sporting fan and, even among existing cricket fans, the new format offers even more bang for the buck.
The league saw some entertaining knocks being played.
However, the inaugural T10 League edition didn’t go off as smoothly as expected. Firstly, a stream of negative news emanated from Pakistan a few weeks before the league started. There were serious concerns about how much the league will impact Pakistan’s highly-valuable T20 product – PSL – as the T10 League has the complete backing of the Pakistan board and features its contracted players. Also, PSL franchises feared the dilution of the UAE market with a similar league featuring star names around winter time.
Then, before the start of the league on December 14, a slew of star names like Kumar Sangakkara, Rangana Herath, Sunil Narine and Mustafizur Rahman became unavailable for selection.
Also, the schedule itself was hectic to say the least. Four matches were held each day on Friday and Saturday, with the final match of the night finishing well beyond midnight in Sharjah. If the teams are playing so late into the night, the league can’t possibly reach the greatest number of eyeballs.
The crowd response, however, was good with around 12,000 remaining at the stadium on a rainy Saturday evening.
The format has everything going for it. It is fast, has big names, enjoys the support of cricket boards and the ICC, and can be taken to new markets while retaining the basic structure of the sport.
The format has something for everyone.
However, the first edition could have definitely done without the negative publicity from the main country that was backing it. How it placates aggrieved parties will decide the structure and scale of the tournament next year.
Also, the league somehow didn’t launch with the same amount of fanfare that T20 and pink ball cricket had in order to make a blockbuster debut. However, that’s something a bolder marketing strategy can easily solve.
The plan is to stage matches in the UAE for the next 10 years and possibly take the carnival to Pakistan and maybe even the US.
While it’s too early to talk about expansion plans, T10 looks like a revolutionary addition.
Now it’s about sustaining the model and ensuring it doesn’t fizzle out like another UAE-based short format tournament – the Masters Champions League – that folded last year without paying many players their dues.
Here’s hoping for the best.
