Cricket’s 21st century growing pains

Cricket’s 21st century growing pains
Delhi Capitals' Tristan Stubbs (3L) and KL Rahul (C) are congratulated by Rajasthan Royals' players after their team's win at the end of the super over of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on April 16, 2025.(AFP)
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Updated 17 April 2025
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Cricket’s 21st century growing pains

Cricket’s 21st century growing pains
  • Sport conflicted by multiple formats, and T20 franchise cricket threatens to eclipse Test series

A central tenet of the International Cricket Council in recent years has been to achieve growth in cricket.

A part of the ICC’s vision is to create opportunities for more people and nations to enjoy the sport. This may be the single unifying factor for all its members in an otherwise skewed governance regime, dominated by India, Australia and England.

However, growth is in the eye of the beholder. It could mean increased revenues, participation, watching or viewing, matches played, or more franchise leagues. Uncontrolled growth can lead to an inefficient use of resources, something already evident in an overcrowded international calendar.

It was concerning, therefore, to read reports emanating from an ICC board meeting held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from April 10 to 13, that the idea of officially recognizing the T10 cricket format was raised.

Although it is understood that the topic was not part of the official meeting agenda and did not receive much interest and support, it could be regarded as the first step in a process to achieve recognition.

The most prominent T10 tournament is the Abu Dhabi T10, first held in December 2017. Since then, T10 competitions have been held in the West Indies, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the US.

Last year, a planned T10 league in Scotland was cancelled because it did not receive ICC sanction. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, five academy teams are currently playing a T10 competition promoted by Cricket Victoria.

So far, T10 cricket has not been played by full members in either men’s or women’s cricket at national level. If the format were to be recognized performance data would be included in a player’s official statistics.

Cricket is already a sport conflicted by multiple official formats. T20 franchise cricket threatens to eclipse Test cricket. In recognition of this, the ICC is considering splitting the 12 Test-playing members into two discrete divisions for Test series.

The issue of promotion and relegation is a stumbling block, as neither of Australia, England or India wish to forego series against each other. Smaller countries fear marginalization.

The multiple format factor was also a talking point over cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. There was some support for the T10 format on the basis that it would be appealing to fans and allow more matches in a day in a single stadium. Its duration of 90 minutes puts it on a par with football.

However, it has been determined that six men’s and six women’s teams will compete in the T20 format. Ninety athlete quotas have been allocated for each gender, allowing squads of 15 players.

If the US qualifies automatically as host nation, the criteria for selecting the other five countries are awaited with interest. A long-awaited showcase of cricket’s diversity and global reach may end up being exclusive.

There can be little doubt that cricket’s inclusion was largely motivated by the desire to cater to South Asian audiences and provide the International Olympic Committee with opportunities to secure handsome broadcast deals.

Talk of switching the venue to New York from Los Angeles because it is 9.5 hours behind India compared with 12.5 has been quashed by the announcement that the Fairgrounds in Paloma, 50 km from Los Angeles, will be the venue. A temporary, purpose-built structure will be constructed on a 500-acre complex.

Both T10 cricket and the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics represent major opportunities for the ICC to pursue its growth mantra. Whilst Olympics participation is firmly underway, formal recognition of T10 appears some way off.

A particular concern is that adding another format alongside the three current international ones risks a dilution of interest in and the value of those formats. A glance at the introduction of The Hundred in England and Wales confirms that risk.

Another criticism of T10 is that bowlers have a limited role, since they can only bowl two overs. Teams batting second also appear to have an advantage, winning 70 percent of the time.

If T10 is not going to be officially recognized in the immediate future, growth will need to be generated through existing channels. There is a limit to how much the 96 ICC associate members can achieve. Together, they receive a mere 11 percent of the ICC’s annual revenue distribution, approximately $67.5 million, an average of $700,000.

As many of them can attest, the establishment of structures to develop local talent requires additional funding from alternative sources, which are hard to acquire. This is not a way to grow the game in those countries, either in terms of increased participation or international competitiveness.

Much has been made by the ICC of the growth in audience numbers for the 2025 Champions Trophy. It estimates that the total watch time was approximately 250 billion minutes, including 137 billion minutes on Star Sports and 110 billion minutes on JioHotstar.

The final between India and New Zealand saw peak concurrent viewership reach 122 million on TV and 61 million on JioHotstar, a new benchmark for digital views in cricket. The overall figures were almost a quarter higher than those for the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2023.

These growth outcomes are fueled by India, through its corporates and its people. The burning question is whether this dominance can have a cascade effect for the game in general. Applications of digital technology for spectators have been prominently developed in India.

Streaming platforms provide more ways to watch cricket. Social media has allowed fans to connect with teams and players in real time. Virtual reality technology promises to change the way in which they can watch and interact with cricket. Each of these channels is helping cricket to grow and reach more people around the world.

Cricket’s future is being determined by its ability to adapt to the digital age and to recognize that its audience now prefers shorter formats. Its future also depends upon the ability of its custodians to blend old traditions and formats with the new and emerging ones.

Without healthy domestic structures, which include longer formats, there is a danger that the top players, those coveted by the franchise leagues, will not be produced to the same standard. There is a counter argument that young players now grow up in T20 cricket and do not need to experience any other format to succeed.

In Harare, the ICC batted away discussion of T10 cricket to focus on suggestions to improve the longer formats. How long it can hold that line in the dash for growth is uncertain.


Jokic-inspired Nuggets stun Thunder, Knicks down Celtics

Jokic-inspired Nuggets stun Thunder, Knicks down Celtics
Updated 06 May 2025
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Jokic-inspired Nuggets stun Thunder, Knicks down Celtics

Jokic-inspired Nuggets stun Thunder, Knicks down Celtics
  • The towering three-time NBA Most Valuable Player finished with 22 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal in addition to his 42-point tally
  • Brunson — the 40-point hero of New York’s series-clinching win over Detroit last week — was once again in superb form as the Knicks climbed out of a 72-52 hole in the third quarter to snatch Game 1 at the TD Garden

LOS ANGELES: Aaron Gordon scored a last-gasp three-pointer and Nikola Jokic produced a 42-point masterpiece as the Denver Nuggets stunned the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 in a dramatic NBA Western Conference semifinal series opener on Monday.

Nuggets forward Gordon drained a 25-foot effort from outside the arc with four seconds remaining to snatch victory against a Thunder lineup who had led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder continued to lead by double digits for much of the fourth quarter, but saw their advantage evaporate after 18 points from Serbian star Jokic in the final frame.

The towering three-time NBA Most Valuable Player finished with 22 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal in addition to his 42-point tally.

Oklahoma City were left ruing two missed free throws from forward Chet Holmgren with 10 seconds remaining with his team defending a slender 119-118 lead.

Those misses proved costly, with Denver rebounding and launching the final offensive raid that ended with Gordon’s winning three-pointer.

Denver interim coach David Adelman paid tribute to the all-round effectiveness of Gordon, who finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

“I’m looking at ball-handling, responsibilities, leadership — he is a Denver Nugget, the soul of our team,” Adelman said. “So cool to see him have a moment like that.”

Gordon said the Nuggets’ calmness under pressure had helped them close out the win.

“A lot of guys stepped up,” he said. “We had poise and a belief that we were going to win no matter the circumstances.”

Gordon and Jokic were backed by 21 points from Jamal Murray and 18 points from Russell Westbrook.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, with Alex Caruso scoring 20 off the bench after shooting five three-pointers.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series takes place on Wednesday.

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, a pulsating battle in Boston saw the New York Knicks dig deep to edge past the reigning champion Celtics 108-105 after Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby scored 29 points apiece for New York.

Brunson — the 40-point hero of New York’s series-clinching win over Detroit last week — was once again in superb form as the Knicks climbed out of a 72-52 hole in the third quarter to snatch Game 1 at the TD Garden.

Brunson’s 29 points included five-of-nine from three-point range, with Anunoby pouring in six three-pointers in his 29-point haul.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum led Boston’s scoring with 23 points apiece on a miserable shooting night for the Celtics, who missed 45 three-point attempts — the most ever missed threes in a playoff game.

“It was a great team win,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.

“We started well, then we fell into a hole and then we fought our way out and then we made tough plays down the stretch,” Thibodeau added.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said lax defense in the second half cost his team dearly.

“We left some of their good shooters open,” Mazzulla said. “There’s detail stuff that we have to be better at.”

Brown, who shot only seven-of-20 from the field and made only one-of-10 attempted three-pointers, said the Celtics would not get hung up on their wayward shooting night as they prepare for game two in Boston on Wednesday.

“We had a historic night of missed three-pointers,” Brown acknowledged. “We’ll take a look and kind of see what the energy was.

“In reality you’ve got to have a short-term memory — throw it away and get ready for game two.

“We don’t have time to let stuff carry over.”


Jannik Sinner all set for Rome Open after doping ban

Jannik Sinner all set for Rome Open after doping ban
Updated 06 May 2025
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Jannik Sinner all set for Rome Open after doping ban

Jannik Sinner all set for Rome Open after doping ban
  • Sinner was welcomed back to action on Monday by thousands of fans who watched his first training session at the tournament on center court at the Foro Italico
  • Sinner: I’m very happy, happy to be back here. It has been a very long, long three months

MILAN: Jannik Sinner is the star of the show at the upcoming Rome Open as the world No. 1 and Italian tennis hero gears up for his return to the courts after a contested doping ban.

Away from the game since agreeing a suspension with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February, Sinner was welcomed back to action on Monday by thousands of fans who watched his first training session at the tournament on center court at the Foro Italico.

Such is the interest in Sinner, who has become a national hero in Italy since rising to the top of the men’s game, that Sky Sport broadcast the practice match with world No. 38 Jiri Lehecka live on television.

All eyes will be on the 23-year-old as he hasn’t swung a racket since retaining his Australian Open title in January, a victory which took his Grand Slam tally to three.

“I’m very happy, happy to be back here. It has been a very long, long three months,” Sinner told reporters in a packed conference room inside the center court.

Fans in Rome have waited two years to see Sinner play their clay court tournament after he missed last year’s edition, won by Alexander Zverev, with injury.

It is on a surface which is not his favorite and his rustiness was clear to see on Monday.

Only one of Sinner’s 19 titles has come on clay, in Umag back in 2022, the same year as his best result in Rome, a quarter-final exit at the hands of beaten finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.

However he does have some time before he finally takes to the court, his status as the top-ranked player on the men’s tour allowing him a bye into the second round which starts on Friday.

Sinner has been fortunate that none of his rivals took advantage of his enforced pause, with second-ranked Zverev still almost 2,000 points behind the man who beat him in the Australian Open final.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is yet to arrive in Rome after withdrawing from the Madrid Open while Novak Djokovic will have to wait a bit longer for his 100th ATP title after deciding to sit out a tournament he has won six times.

Sinner is eyeing a run at the French Open, the second Slam of the season which follows the Rome tournament.

“My objective is Roland Garros, I’m here to see what level I’m at,” said Sinner.

“I’m not here to beat whoever, but to get past the second round and then see what happens.”

Sinner’s rise to the top of the game in 2024, when he won eight titles including his first two Slams and the ATP Finals, was dogged by the controversy which followed his two positive tests for traces of clostebol in March last year.

He said last month he hit “rock bottom” at the most recent Australian Open, saying he felt like other players “looked at me differently.”

Sinner was aggrieved as he feels he did nothing wrong, and WADA said explicitly he “did not intend to cheat,” accepting he was contaminated by his physiotherapist using a spray containing the banned substance to treat a cut before providing a massage.

Regardless, he also had to accept the three-month ban offered by WADA, rather than risk being forced out of tennis for two years just as he became the dominant force in men’s tennis.

“I didn’t want to do it in the beginning. It was a bit not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened,” said Sinner.

“But sometimes you have to choose the best in a very bad moment. And that’s what we did. It’s all over now, so I’m happy to play again.”


Milan clinch 2-1 win with two quick-fire goals in rainy Genoa clash

Milan clinch 2-1 win with two quick-fire goals in rainy Genoa clash
Updated 06 May 2025
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Milan clinch 2-1 win with two quick-fire goals in rainy Genoa clash

Milan clinch 2-1 win with two quick-fire goals in rainy Genoa clash
  • The result keep Milan at ninth place with 57 points, six points behind fourth-placed Juventus
  • Milan completed the turnaround when Genoa midfielder Frendrup, attempting to clear a short cross, inadvertently tapped the ball into his own net

GENOA: AC Milan secured a 2-1 victory over Genoa in a rainy Monday Serie A clash, with a rapid second-half turnaround driven by Rafael Leao’s equalizer and an own goal from Morten Frendrup.

The result keep Milan at ninth place with 57 points, six points behind fourth-placed Juventus, who occupy the last Champions League spot, with three rounds remaining.

With crucial back-to-back clashes against Bologna looming — first in the league followed by the Coppa Italia final — Milan appeared passive for much of the match, lacking urgency and creativity until a late surge turned the tide.

“We always try to improve. We work on individual and group levels. We work a lot,” Milan manager Sergio Conceicao told reporters.

“The players responded well, which shows we have a group that believes in what we do at Milanello (Milan training ground). I’m pleased with that.”

Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was the stand out performer in a first half largely dominated by Genoa, making several crucial saves to keep his side level at the break.

Milan began to find their rhythm late in the first half and nearly took the lead just before the break, but Christian Pulisic was denied at point-blank range by a sharp save from Genoa keeper Nicola Leali.

The second half started in a largely uninspired fashion, with the relentless downpour proving more consistent than the football, as play was frequently halted for injury treatments.

Vitinha, introduced only a minute earlier, made an instant impact in the 61st minute, drifting into space inside the box and smashing home a perfectly delivered cross with his first touch to put Genoa in front.

Quick turnaround

A fortunate equalizer from Leao came in the 76th minute, when a low cross from the byline by Santiago Gimenez wrong-footed the Genoa defense and found the Portuguese forward unmarked in the box; his shot took a deflection off Genoa’s Brooke Norton-Cuffy before nestling in the net to level the score.

Less than two minutes later, Milan completed the turnaround when Genoa midfielder Frendrup, attempting to clear a short cross, inadvertently tapped the ball into his own net.

In stoppage time, Milan nearly added a third when Leao fired a powerful effort that Leali was forced to parry away from danger.

“In terms of our game plan, we could’ve done better in possession during the first half. We played against a tough team on a tough pitch. Credit to the opponent — but we could have looked for depth more,” Conceicao said.

“On the goal we conceded, collectively, we could have done more.”


Nottingham Forest draws at Crystal Palace as Champions League hopes fade

Nottingham Forest draws at Crystal Palace as Champions League hopes fade
Updated 06 May 2025
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Nottingham Forest draws at Crystal Palace as Champions League hopes fade

Nottingham Forest draws at Crystal Palace as Champions League hopes fade
  • A win at Selhurst Park would have brought them equal with Chelsea and Newcastle but one point means it stays in sixth

LONDON: Nottingham Forest drew with Crystal Palace 1-1 in the Premier League on Monday and saw its Champions League hopes fade.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s men have spent most of the year in the league top three but a run of one win in four has dropped them behind Chelsea, Newcastle and a resurgent Manchester City.
A win at Selhurst Park would have brought them equal with Chelsea and Newcastle but one point means it stays in sixth, with the top five qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Neither team was able to take control of a sometimes scrappy match that saw eight names go in the referee’s book.
Palace took the lead with a penalty kick after an hour. After a video review, Matz Sels was adjudged to have felled Tyrick Mitchell and Eberechi Eze made no mistake from the spot.
Forest bounced right back within four minutes, Murillo doing enough to deflect a goal-bound shot from Neco Williams away from the keeper.
Eze hitting the woodwork in the dying seconds and Eddie Nketiah having a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time meant FA Cup finalist Palace has not won any of its last five league games.


Minister of Sport receives 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli

Minister of Sport receives 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli
Updated 05 May 2025
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Minister of Sport receives 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli

Minister of Sport receives 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli
  • Prince Abdulaziz congratulated the Al-Ahli players and management on their victory over Japan’s Kawasaki
  • Prince Abdulaziz expressed his admiration at the outstanding performances delivered by the team over the course of the tournament

JEDDAH: Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal received the 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah and congratulated them on their victory over Japan’s Kawasaki.

The reception was also attended by Assistant Minister of Sport Abdulilah bin Saad Al-Dalak, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal, and several ministry officials and leaders.

Prince Abdulaziz expressed his admiration at the outstanding performances delivered by the Al-Ahli players over the course of the tournament. He also praised the players’ commitment, competiveness and cohesiveness, which paved the way for ultimate victory.