The future of 50-50 could be determined by the success or failure of Champions Trophy.
An imminent threat to the one-day game should be kept at bay at least in the near future as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy gets under way in Johannesburg and Centurion early next week.
The 40-over format is pushing for its place under the sun, while the Twenty20 format has taken the world by storm. Eminent voices have debated the future of the 50-over game. The ICC remains confident of the survival of the one-day game.
The tournament in South Africa, one which runs for just 14 days and features the top-eight ranked teams, promises to be flab-free with teams spilt into two strong groups from which the semifinalists will emerge.
India, Pakistan and South Africa, the three teams locked in the current battle for the No.1 ranking, will be keenly watched. Australia, leading England 6-0 in the ongoing one-day series, are the defending champions while hosts South Africa second and India, just one ranking point behind Australia, third.
India haven’t lost a one-day series in a year, their latest win being their tri-series triumph against Sri Lanka. MS Dhoni’s boys will be looking to leave their mark on the world stage after an early exit from the World Twenty20 in England. In Group A they’ll have to deal with arch-rival Pakistan in a high-voltage match followed by a game against Australia and then West Indies.
The kind of response the tournament receives will depend on how well the big teams do in the tournament.
Tournament director Don McIntosh, who is also the chief operating officer of Cricket South Africa, is confident that the event will receive a healthy response. “Five of the 15 matches are sold out. In South Africa there is support for most teams. Australia and England are popular among the fans and so are India and Pakistan and of course the Proteas. The awareness about the tournament is high and I see fans showing healthy interest in the tournament. The ICC believes that all three formats add value to the game and this edition of the Champions Trophy will help sustain the interest in the 50-over game,” McIntosh told DNA on Friday.
The inaugural edition of the World Twenty20 held in South Africa in 2007 generated huge interest. McIntosh, however, is practical.
“It will be hard to beat the success of the World T20 as it was the inaugural edition of a novel event. It had a dream final with India playing Pakistan. That said, I am sure the Champions Trophy will attract a lot of fans and generate interest.
“The best players are on show and all matches are bound to be exciting. What will have people on their feet will be South Africa going all the way,” McIntosh added. Whatever be the fortunes of the teams, for the 50-over format, the Champions Trophy will be an acid test.
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