Return of the Champions League T20? IPL chair open to considering possible comeback

The Champions League T20 had run for six editions, between 2009 and 2014, before stopping for good. IPL chair Arun Dhumal, however, recently said that he was not closed to the idea of a revival.

“It was done before the opportune time for that kind of event [the Champions Trophy T20],” Dhumal told in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. “I would not say no to anything but everything depends on whether we have an availability of time … If it creates value for cricket at a global stage, definitely we can look at that.”

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What was the Champions League T20?

After the inaugural edition of the IPL, in 2008, was a runaway success, the cricket boards of India, England, Australia, and South Africa met in June that year. They announced the tournament with two teams from each nation’s premier T20 leagues.

Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were, thus, supposed to be joined by Western Australia and Victoria, Titans and KwaZulu Natal, and the top two teams of that summer’s T20 Cup in England. When Kent, the runners-up of that tournament, opted out, the BCCI tried to replace them with a team from Pakistan.

However, dates clashed with the Champions Trophy that was supposed to be held in Pakistan that year. In the aftermath of the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the inaugural edition of the Champions League T20 was postponed to September 2009.

The tournament began with 12 teams, and was held for six consecutive years since then with a varying number of teams.

If a cricketer was eligible for multiple participant teams, they got to choose whom to represent. If the tournament indeed resumes, cricketers may have to make some difficult choices if more than one of their teams qualify. As things stand, the IPL franchises own teams across several T20 leagues.

Why did the Champions League T20 stop?

While the tournament was initially received well, the TV ratings of the tournament dipped over time. The 2015 edition – scheduled for September and October – was called off in July, a day after the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict on the IPL betting and spot-fixing scandal.

Who were the best teams in the Champions League T20?

The two most successful IPL teams, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, won four of the six editions, while New South Wales Blues and Sydney Sixers won the other two.

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