In a significant development, reports suggest that the Champions T20 League T20 is likely to make a comeback and be rebranded as the World Club Championship.
The concept will be similar to the Champions League T20, where the winners of major global T20 leagues such as the IPL, The Hundred, BBL, PSL and SA20 will participate in the tournament set to launch next year.
The report added that the idea has the support of the ECB and BCCI and has received a green light from ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“That is on the cards. Without doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship for both men and women. That’s the next logical step,” said ECB chair Richard Gould.
Despite the details of the tournament as the number of teams and which leagues will be included are yet to be disclosed. The rumours suggest the ECB woudl prefer the winners of The Hundred to participate in World Club Championship rather than the winners of the T20 Blast.
The inaugural edition of the Champions T20 League took place in 2009 and was held annually until 2014. The tournament was discontinued due to lack of viewership.
Further, teams from only four leagues used to participate with the IPL getting the most slots (three). Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are the most successful teams, with two wins each.
However, the global cricket has been transformed drastically with every major cricketing nation now boasting its own franchise league,
If excuted well, the World Club Championship could finally establish a club-based spectacle in cricket like Football’s UEFA Champions League.
