The Champions League T20 is currently going on in South Africa. Last year also it was held with much fanfare in India during Diwali time. During both the editions however, it has failed to arouse as much interest and passion as the IPL editions have. Given that the standard of the cricket played in the former is much higher than that of the latter, it is very surprising indeed.
I guess the BCCI has been able to market the IPL a lot more, and with a lot more matches there, the passion always simmers even in the scorching heat of summer. Lalit Modi, given all the integrity issues that have blotted his reputation, has always been a tremendous innovator and IPL is his brainchild. The idea of a strategic time-out (which was criticised severely by the players), the glitz and glamour, the quality of TV coverage and the optimal length of the tournament with double headers made it the ideal “Masala Cricket.” However, the CLT20 has failed to stir up the public to that extent, and elicit as much hysteria as the IPL has done.
The only point of interest for the Indian public has been the performance of the IPL teams here. Even the T20 World Cup has met a similar fate with the interest not reaching fever pitch, in spite of the cricket being of the highest calibre. Probably the pristinely administered ICC needs to take a lesson or two about marketing and tournament showcasing from a beleaguered, vituperated but an innovative administrator.
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