From success story to headache: ICC grapples with Afghanistan dilemma

After years of showcasing Afghanistan's remarkable rise as a success story, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is under pressure to crack the whip on its member nation, which has seen major curtailment of women's rights by the Taliban government.

England and South Africa have been urged to boycott next month's Champions Trophy matches against Afghanistan, whose maiden appearance in the men's 50-overs tournament as one of the world's top eight teams is a testament to their growth in recent years.

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International games

• Ireland Women tour of India (3rd ODI, Rajkot)

  • India Women: 435/5

  • Ireland Women: 131 (31.4/50 ov, T:436)

India's highest team total, fastest individual ton and biggest victory in ODIs

Having recorded their highest ODI total in the second ODI on Sunday, India Women went further ahead on Wednesday, breaching the 400-run mark for the first time in the format.

435/5 - by India Women is now their highest total in Women's ODI, surpassing 370/5 they'd registered on Sunday. India became just the third team to cross the 400-run mark in Women's ODIs after New Zealand (four times) and Australia (once), and four of the six 400-plus totals have come against Ireland. 435/5 also happens to be the highest ODI total for India in ODIs - Men's or Women's. The previous record was 418/5 by the Men's team against West Indies in Indore in 2011.

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

• SA20 (9th Match, Paarl)

  • MI Cape Town: 158/4

  • Paarl Royals: 159/4 (19/20 ov, T:159)

• International League T20 (6th Match, Abu Dhabi)

  • Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 159/5

  • Sharjah Warriorz: 129 (19.3/20 ov, T:160)

• Big Bash League (35th Match, Adelaide)

  • Adelaide Strikers: 182/5

  • Sydney Sixers: 183/7 (19.5/20 ov, T:183)

Twenty20: The Format That Revolutionized Cricket

In 2003, English cricket was facing a crisis. County games’ attendance were decreasing, younger audiences were losing interest, and the sport's traditional formats seemed increasingly out of sync with modern life. The solution? A radical experiment that would transform cricket forever: Twenty20.

Stuart Robertson, then the marketing manager of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), proposed a bold idea: a three-hour cricket match played in the evening. The concept was simple yet revolutionary – each team would bat for just 20 overs, creating a fast-paced, action-packed spectacle that could fit into a summer evening.

On June 13, 2003, history was made when Surrey faced Kent in the first professional Twenty20 match at the Oval. The game drew a crowd of 9,000 – significantly more than the few hundred that typically attended county games. Kent won the match, but cricket was the real victor that evening.

The format's success was immediate and overwhelming. The inaugural Twenty20 Cup tournament saw average attendance figures triple compared to county championship matches. More importantly, it attracted a new demographic: younger viewers, families, and casual fans who found the traditional formats too time-consuming.

What made T20 cricket particularly revolutionary was its emphasis on entertainment. Music between overs, colourful team jerseys, cheerleaders, and fireworks created a carnival atmosphere that was previously alien to cricket's conservative culture. Purists initially scoffed, but the format's popularity was undeniable.

The Indian Premier League's launch in 2008 marked T20's transformation from an English innovation to a global phenomenon. With its mixture of cricket, entertainment, and unprecedented financial opportunities for players, the IPL changed the sport's economic landscape forever. A player could now earn more from a six-week IPL contract than from a year of international cricket.

T20's influence extended beyond just creating a new format – it fundamentally changed how cricket was played. The format's demands for aggressive batting and innovative shots influenced Test and ODI cricket. Scoring rates in Test matches increased, new batting shots were invented, and fielding standards reached new heights.

Today, every major cricket nation has its own T20 league, and the format has become a crucial part of international cricket with its own World Cup. From being dismissed as a gimmick in 2003, T20 has evolved into cricket's most commercially successful format, proving that sometimes the biggest revolutions start with the simplest ideas.

How would the cricketing world look today without the introduction of T20 cricket?

On This Day

Interesting fact/OTD/Fan post

2023

India hammered Sri Lanka by the ridiculous margin of 317 runs to set a record for the biggest ODI win of all time. Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill accounted for the bulk of India's 390 in the game in Thiruvananthapuram, making 282 runs between them, and Sri Lanka wilted dismally to be all out for 73, only three of their batters getting into double figures.

Coming tomorrow

SA20:

• Paarl Royals vs MI Cape Town - 3:30 PM GMT

International League T20 (ILT20):

• Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates - 2:00 PM GMT

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL):

• Khulna Tigers vs Rangpur Riders - 8:30 AM GMT

• Durbar Rajshahi vs Chattogram Challengers - 1:30 PM GMT

What else is happening

• In response to recent poor performances, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering limiting the presence of players' wives and families on future tours. The proposed changes may restrict family members' stay to two weeks for longer tours and seven days for shorter ones, aiming to reduce potential distractions for players.

• Karnataka's cricket team has advanced to the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, seeking their fifth title. They now await the winner of the semi-final between Vidarbha and Maharashtra.

• Following a series of poor performances, India's top-order batsmen have returned to domestic cricket to regain form ahead of upcoming international fixtures. Players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli are participating in the Ranji Trophy, aiming to rediscover their touch before the five-match Test series in England starting June 20.

Question for you

What do you make of India’s decisions regarding their first team players?

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