KOLKATA: It’s final. The Champions Trophy featuring eight teams is gone. The ICC on Thursday announced converting it into WT20 of 16 teams at its board meeting. So in place of Champions Trophy in 2021, India will host WT20. There will be back-to-back WT20s, as Australia is scheduled to host one in 2020.Before this, Amitabh Choudhary, the BCCI representative at ICC meetings, had said that Champions Trophy would remain in its existing 50-over format. However, ICC chief executive Dave Richardson contradicted this and said it was an unanimous decision. From 2024, the WT20 will be held every two years.
“At this stage the 2021 event is scheduled for India and so is the 2023 50-over World Cup. As far as conversion from Champions Trophy is concerned, the BCCI representative attended the meeting and it was passed unanimously. That’s not an issue,” Richardson said.Elaborating on back-to-back T20 editions, he stated that the Future Tours Progamme (FTP) for the period between 2019-2023, which includes two cycles, meant there was no other window available. “It is unfortunate that we have one in 2020 and another in 2021, but it is caused because of the new schedule. With all the bilateral series scheduled, it was difficult to work a way around. Going forward, there will be a WT20 every two years and a 50-over World Cup every four years with the ODI league leading up to the World Cup.”
During the meeting, one of the BCCI officials had claimed that the ICC was trying to convert the Champions Trophy into WT20 because the shortest format is commercially more viable and more appealing for the broadcasters. For the record, the ICC’s television rights is up for renewal in 2023. So in the wider picture, it’s important for the ICC to protect its own interest as well. But Richardson denied that the change had anything to do with this. “No. In fact, they have been supportive of the change.”
The former South Africa wicketkeeper attributed it to the recent changes which will see all T20 matches between members awarded T20 status and be part of the ICC rankings. “We will have 12 Test-playing nations and 35-40 nations in ODIs. The rest will play T20Is. The 50-over World Cup will continue to be a huge event. Whether that remains 10-team, we will decide in future. Champions Trophy was similar to World Cup. It was difficult to differentiate.
The FTP includes what at this stage is a Champions Trophy in 2021 but in all likelihood we are going to change that to a WT20. It fits in with our strategy of using T20 as a way of growing the game.”If indeed the BCCI representative Choudhary voted in favour of WT20 instead of Champions Trophy, then it has to be ratified by the BCCI general body. Express understands that members have not been appraised of it.
Money-maker to unwanted
A brainchild of former ICC and BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, Champions Trophy was instituted as a mini World Cup, so that the cash-strapped world body could make money.
What is was
First edition in
Bangladesh in 1998
Held every 2 years from 1998 to 2006. 2008 edition played in 2009
Quadrennial affair from 2009
India winners in 2013, joint-winners with Sri Lanka in 2002
Australia won it twice. In 2006 & 2009
Other winners — South Africa (1998), New Zealand (2000), West Indies (2004), Pakistan (2017)
What it will be
Becomes WT20 featuring 16 teams from 2021
BCCI opposed, but other ICC members wanted Champions Trophy scrapped
Next WT20 in 2020 scheduled in Australia to go ahead
No WT20 in 2023 because it’s the 50-over WC year
From 2024, WT20 every two years