Indian Premier League and Cricket News by IPL Cricket Forum

Former Australian star Adam Gilchrist has called for the inclusion of cricket’s Twenty20 format at the 2020 Olympics, saying it will help secure the global future of the game - reports AFP.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who after retiring from international cricket  played in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said the International Cricket Council (ICC) must push for Twenty20 to become an Olympic sport.

“It doesn’t matter where the 2020 Olympic Games are held,” he wrote in a column for Indian daily the Deccan Chronicle on Monday.

“But many of us who’ve experienced international Twenty20 cricket and the IPL are convinced that cricket should bid to become an Olympic sport in time for the Games,” he wrote.

Gilchrist, 36, said re-introducing cricket as an Olympic sport would help the sport grow internationally and also boost the Olympic movement in the subcontinent.

“We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world.

“I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use to aggressively sell the message of our sport to all 202 competing Olympic nations.

“So that our sport is strong and robust in countries where it is currently played, and exciting and ground-breaking in countries who haven’t yet caught the ‘cricket-bug’,” he said.

Cricket was part of the Olympics just once, in 1900, but last year it was recognised as an Olympic sport — the first step towards full admission to the Games.

“With Twenty20 cricket here to stay, now is the time for the 10 full-member nations of the ICC to plan for the development of the sport over the next 100 years,” Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist said winning an Olympic medal would be the ultimate for any cricketer.

“Take it from someone who has won almost everything cricket has to offer — the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle in sport.

“Cricketers won’t care about the money. The chance to stand on top of the Olympic podium, to wear an Olympic gold medal and the pride of belting out your national anthem would be a life-changing money-can’t-buy experience,” he said.

Tags: 20Twenty, Adam Gilchrist, cricket, ICC, IPL, olympics

The founding members, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) after a meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, officially announced the Champions Twenty20 League. The first edition to be held in India from September 29 to October 8, 2008 is likely to be played at Delhi, Jaipur and Mohali but IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has kept the options open as of now.

On Thursday David Collier, the chief executive of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed Middlesex’s participation in the league, bringing to an end the speculations of a similar Champions League being organized synchronously by ECB in the UAE. Collier also expressed ECB’s interest in sending two teams from the next year.

Two teams each from the IPL, Australia’s Big Bash and South Africa’s Pro20 and one each from England and Pakistan’s Twenty20 tournament will take part in the first edition. In the coming years there are plans to make it a 12 team tournament with two teams each from India, Australia, South Africa and England and one each from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies.

Teams in 2008 and their star players

 

From India (Indian Premier League)

Winner - Rajasthan Royals

Shane Warne, Graeme Smith, Younis Khan, Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan, Sohail Tanveer, Dmitri Mascarenhas

Runner-up - Chennai Super Kings

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Muttiah Muralidharan, Mathew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Stephen Fleming, Makhaya Ntini, Albie Morkel, Jacob Oram, Suresh Raina

 

From Australia (KFC Twenty20 Big Bash)

Winner - Victoria Bushrangers

Cameron White, David Hussey, Brad Hodge, Chris Rodgers, Dirk Nannes, Adam Crosthwaite

 

Runner-up - Western Australia Warriors

Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Luke Ronchi, Brad Hogg, Chris Rogers, Adam Voges, Sean Ervine

 

From South Africa (Standard Bank Pro20)

Winner - Nashua Titans

Martin van Jaarsveld, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Andre Nel, Morne Morkel, Gulam Bodi, Paul Harris, Pierre Joubert

 

Runner-up - Nashua Dolphins

Ahmed Amla, Shaun Pollock, Hashim Amla, Dale Benkenstein, Johann Louw, Doug Watson, Kyle Smit

 

From Pakistan (ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup)

Sialkot Stallions

Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Asif, Mansoor Amjad, Abdur Rehman

 

From England (Twenty20 Cup)

Winner – Middlesex

Ed Smith, Andrew Strauss, Shaun Udal, Ed Joyce, Owais Shah, Murali Kartik, Chris Silverwood, Billy Godleman

 

Dr. Mohit Goyal © IPL Cricket Forum

Tags: 20Twenty, ABN-Amro, champions, Cup, IPL, KFC, leahue, Middlesex, Nashua Titans, Sialkot Stallions, trophy, Victoria Bushrangers