Latest news with #WorldClubChampionship
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
T20 Champions League set to return after ICC green light, first match could be in September 2026: Report
The Men's Twenty20 Champions League is set for a relaunch and could return as early as September next year, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald. The decision was reportedly finalised after the tournament received backing from key countries during the ICC's annual conference in Singapore. The first edition of the T20 Champions League was held in 2008 and continued until 2014, when ESPN Star reportedly cut its losses after paying an inflated rights fee of around $1 billion. Cricket Australia, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa were partners in the event, but several other T20 leagues have emerged globally since the last edition. The report notes that one of the biggest challenges for the revived Champions League will be determining which clubs players will represent. It estimates that the world's top T20 players now participate in at least two and, in some cases, four or five different leagues each year. The ICC and partner countries will need to decide which teams these players will represent, and how the finances of the new league will be split. Meanwhile, lobbying is reportedly underway for a parallel concept involving a circuit of T20 tournaments hosted globally and bankrolled by Saudi Arabia. However, the report notes that Saudi Arabia's future role could also include serving as a potential host for the Champions League. An earlier report by The Cricketer revealed that the Champions League could be revived under a new name—World Club Championship—in 2026. The league is expected to follow a similar structure to the original CLT20, with title-winning teams from T20 leagues worldwide, including the IPL, BBL, PSL, SA20, and The Hundred, competing against each other. The report suggests that the BCCI and ECB are on board with the idea, and ICC Chairman Jay Shah has also lent his support to the revived T20 competition.
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India.com
09-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
No RCB, No Lahore Qalandars: Big Teams Snubbed From World Club Championship, Heres Why
The excitement among Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans were palpable as they were excited to witness IPL 2025 Champions once again in the World Club Championship. But here's a bad news for the fans, Despite being reigning champions in their respective leagues, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from the Indian Premier League and Lahore Qalandars from the Pakistan Super League will not feature in the upcoming World Club Championship, scheduled to begin in 2026. While an official announcement is still pending, the tournament is widely viewed as a revival of the defunct Champions League T20. RCB recently claimed their maiden IPL title after an 18-year wait. However, according to PTI reports, no IPL franchise will participate in the first edition, despite the tournament having the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Similarly, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will have no representation in the championship. The exclusion of Pakistani teams appears to be linked to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) failure to attend a key meeting in London. According to sources, 'The Pakistan Cricket Board was invited to send its CEO of the PSL for a meeting held on the sidelines of the cricket connect meeting in London last month but no one showed up.' The meeting was organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and had the backing of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its chairman, Jay Shah. Top executives from leading T20 franchise leagues including the Emirates League, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) were all present. 'Discussions were held on the proposed World Clubs Championship, its window, format, schedule etc. CEOs of the Emirates League, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, MLC, Caribbean Premier League etc attended the meeting. Pakistan was also invited,' the source confirmed. Lahore Qalandars, who are the current champions of the PSL, now find themselves sidelined due to administrative non-participation. Reports further suggest that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also been absent from several ICC meetings, further complicating Pakistan's engagement at the global level. Why The Rush To Launch The World Club Championship? The fast-tracking of the tournament is seen as a strategic move to counter the potential rise of the Saudi Cricket League, which has attracted major private investment. The proposed Saudi league, backed by $400 million in initial funding, is reportedly aiming to align its matches with Tennis Grand Slam events annually. However, this plan has faced pushback. The recent meeting also covered crucial logistical issues such as fixed windows for each league and the availability of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for international players. 'The PCB didn't show up and strangely Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also not regularly attended ICC meetings," the source added. As planning for the World Club Championship gains momentum, the absence of key teams like RCB and Lahore Qalandars due to board-level decisions has sparked debate within the cricketing community.
Mint
06-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
No place for IPL champs RCB in World Club Championship; Pakistan's Lahore Qalandars unlikely too; here's why
Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will not be a part of the inaugural World Club Championship which is set to kick-off in 2026. Although an official announcement is yet to be made, the World Club Championship is believed to be the re-birth of long-discontinued Champions League T20. According to PTI, there will be no representation from IPL despite the backing of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). RCB are the reigning champions of IPL - their first trophy in 18 years. However, it reports are to be believed, Pakistan will have no representation in the inaugural World Club Championship. The decision to not have any Pakistan representation came after its cricket board's no show in a meeting held in London recently. Lahore Qalandars are the current champions of Pakistan Super League. The World Club Championship is being fast tracked with the blessings of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its chairman Jay Shah. The CEOs of most of the leading T20 franchise-based leagues gathered for the meeting held on the initiative of the English and Wales Cricket Board (WCB) with the ICC's backing. 'The Pakistan Cricket Board was invited to send its CEO of the PSL for a meeting held on the sidelines of the cricket connect meeting in London last month but no one showed up,' a source was quoted as saying. 'Discussions were held on the proposed World Clubs Championship, its window, format, schedule etc. (The) CEOs of the Emirates League, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, MLC, Caribbean Premier League etc attended the meeting. Pakistan was also invited,' he confirmed. The report also added that the World Club Championship is being fast tracked in an attempt to derail Saudi Cricket League. It said private investors will be putting in an initial investment of $400 million in the Saudi league but are facing resistance as they want to have their league on the sidelines of the Tennis Grand Slam events every year. The source said the recent meeting was also important as CEOs had discussed fixed windows for their events, availability of NOCs for overseas players etc. 'The PCB didn't show up and strangely Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also not regularly attended ICC meetings," he added.
India.com
03-07-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Virat Kohli's RCB To Lock Horns With Babar Azams Peshawar Zalmi As Champions League T20 Could Finally Return As World Club Championship: Reports
Cricket fans around the world could be in for a treat as the long-dormant Champions League T20 is reportedly being revived in a brand-new format. According to a report by The Cricketer, a revamped version of the tournament is likely to return in 2026 under a new name World Club Championship promising a clash of the world's top T20 franchises. New Format, Global Reach Unlike its previous avatar which fizzled out in 2014 due to poor viewership and scheduling issues, the World Club Championship aims to become a truly global T20 league, featuring top teams from various franchise competitions including: - IPL (India) - BBL (Australia) - PSL (Pakistan) - SA20 (South Africa) - The Hundred (England) With backing from top cricket boards and stakeholders, this edition is expected to be bigger, better, and far more engaging than before. Kohli's RCB vs Babar's Zalmi? A Dream Clash The prospect of Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) going head-to-head with Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi has already sparked excitement online. Without the pressures of international rivalry, fans may finally get to see two of the modern-day greats square off in franchise cricket a sight that promises pure cricketing entertainment. ICC, BCCI, ECB On Board The project reportedly has the ICC Chairman Jay Shah's approval, while both the BCCI and ECB are already on board. An interesting detail is that the ECB wants the winners of The Hundred to represent England instead of the Vitality Blast champions, adding more glamor and international appeal to the tournament. A Tournament for the Future Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, ECB CEO Richard Gould suggested that the tournament is more a matter of 'when' than 'if.' '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,' Gould said. What Went Wrong Last Time? The Champions League T20 originally launched in 2009 and ran until 2014. Despite involving top teams and players, the event struggled due to scheduling challenges, lack of local interest, and poor TV ratings especially outside of India. Ironically, the dominance of the IPL at the time was seen as one of the reasons for its downfall, as fans largely preferred their own leagues over watching neutral franchise contests.
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First Post
07-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
CLT20-style World Club Championship 'on the cards', says ECB chief executive: 'That's the next logical step'
England and Wales Cricket Board CEO Richard Gould believes that a World Club Championship, which would be similar to the Champions League T20 that had hosted its last edition in 2014, would be the 'next logical step' and could become a reality in the near future. read more Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni bats against Yorkshire Carnegie at Durban's Kingsmead during the fourth season of the Champions League T20 in 2012. AFP It's been more than a decade since the Champions League T20 (CLT20) was last hosted, with cricket's answer to the UEFA Champions League in football having lasted a total of six editions between 2009 and 2014. And as is the case in the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians happen to be the most successful teams in CLT20 history with two titles each. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), however, is confident it can bring a CLT20-style tournament back into the cricketing calendar in the form of a revamped World Club Championship for the T20 format. Especially considering how T20 leagues have sprung up all over the globe with nearly every Full Member and even associates such as UAE hosting one of their own. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD '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,' ECB Chief Executive told ESPNCricinfo. CLT20 'was ahead of its time', says ECB CEO Only a handful of cricket-playing nations besides India used to conduct T20 leagues around the time the CLT20 – which was jointly run by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa – was in existence, Australia's Big Bash League and West Indies' Caribbean Premier League being the most notable examples during this time. The Pakistan Super League would come into existence shortly after the final CLT20 season and Sri Lanka (Lanka Premier League), England (The Hundred), South Africa (SA20), USA (Major League Cricket) as well as UAE (ILT20) would go on to establish their own leagues. Bangladesh Cricket Board too has been in existence for well over a decade now, but had somehow never featured in the tournament. The CLT20 had been plagued with issues from the very beginning; the inaugural edition was originally supposed to take place in 2008 but had to be postponed by a year due to the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. And what was to be the seventh edition of the tournament in 2015 was called off due to lack of interest from cricket fans despite providing more context to T20 leagues by having franchises from different parts of the world face each other instead of being limited to their own leagues. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'That tournament was ahead of its time. Commercially, it couldn't keep up with the expectations on it, but it was a really good event,' added Gould, who was CEO of Somerset when it participated in the inaugural edition in 2009.
