The First Twenty20 World Championship

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As I write, we are 4 days away from the tournament. Twenty20 may not be the most intricate form of what once used to be the gentleman’s game. It may not please the connoisseurs. Some consider the whole thing a farce.

But this is where all these connoisseurs and great cricketing minds forget that cricket is but a sport. They forget that cricket is a sport meant for entertainment. And if Twenty20 cannot offer entertainment, then nothing can. Twenty20 is a very progressive step in the world of cricket.

I myself may not be all in favour of Twenty20 but, this could mean that that generation in India which switched to football may just leave a bit of their time for the game which could go on five days and not produce a conclusive result. It is important that a sport keeps everyone satisfied and Twenty20 does so for the people who are not as interested in the deep charm of cricket but want to see action. To put it simply, it’s like watching a highlights package live.

The World Championships makes it all the more entertaining. It’s a new format of the game. This means that not everyone’s sure who the best players are, which team is capable, the kind of role bowler can play. Of course all that has been debated and talked about so often, but it remains to be seen.

A player of sound technical abilities may turn out to be a gross failure – which at this stage seems likely. The Twenty20 circuit in England has shown that innovative play will pay dividends. The shorter format of the game means each run and each wicket is more valuable than ever before. This implies that every improvisation that does not go off could cause a great amount of harm as well.

The shorter format also needs a different kind of mental preparation. It is not endurance that is required now but an additional amount of that focus which was already there. This is owing to the increased number of pressure situations in the game.

I will not say anything conclusively as that is the way things are now. This is unchartered territory; entertainment guaranteed. The first match between South Africa and the West Indies – a repeat of the first match of World Cup 2003 - will give us a heads up on how different kinds of players will perform in this version of the game. After that, Cricket Opinions will get back to you.-BS

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