Cricket is sometimes viewed as an impenetrable sport for novices or outsiders to understand. But there have been a number of moves in recent times to grow the game beyond its traditional boundaries. The length of some games had been seen as an issue and shorter formats have proved incredibly popular.
Although the traditional five-day test matches are still seen as the classic version of the sport, it is T20 and other short forms that have proved successful in attracting new fans. Breaking the US has long been a hope for cricket’s governing bodies and the success of the American team in this year’s T20 World Cup was a huge step forward.
The best online sportsbook reviews will always mention the wide variety of teams and sports available and cricket will be more successful if more nations and teams are involved. The US beating the might of Pakistan might be seen as a pivotal moment in the growth of the sport – and short-form format cricket is going to play a major role in the future of the game.
Traditions are Changing
There are still some older, more traditional, cricket fans who may think that test cricket is the only legitimate format of the game. Spending hours and days over a game, immersing yourself in the details and atmosphere is the true format, with all others changing the game for the worse.
But the fact is that ever since the one-day format was introduced in the 1970s, cricket’s authorities have been seeking more ways to keep the fans interested – and attract more people to the sport. We have seen games become shorter and shorter, with more exciting results, and it seems to be the way the typical cricket fan wants to enjoy their sports these days.
T20 Takeover
Although there are a number of different formats available these days, the overwhelming success story is T20. Previously referred to as Twenty 20, these games are much shorter than the traditional test matches, only giving teams 20 overs each to score runs. This has removed any chance for batters to play themselves in and introduced much more explosive cricket.
Every cricketing nation now has its own T20 league and national teams will regularly play more T20 games than any other format when it comes to tours and series. As with any sport, money talks – and the way that the biggest markets like India have embraced and supported T20 show that this is a format that will be around for quite a while yet.
Revolutionary Formats
It is the incredible success of T20 that has seen those in charge of cricket attempt to develop even more formats to attract even more fans. With a 50-over one-day game almost regarded as old-fashioned and too long, the rules of cricket have been completely changed in the hope of growing the game.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) introduced The Hundred in 2021 as a completely new way to play the game – and it is fair to say that the risk has come off. Initially regarded as a joke format that would not be popular, a whole new fanbase has grown, attracting women and children especially. That was part of the plan, of course, and now the ECB is looking to expand the competition further.
The End of All-Format Athletes
When the first one-day matches were played, there were no specialists and the teams involved were made up of the same players that were playing test cricket. The shorter formats invariably started off by literally just being shorter versions of the longer game, with the introduction of format-specific tactics still a long way off.
These days the biggest national teams will play all formats of the game. But it will be very rare for the squads to look the same for test matches, T20s, and 50-over ODIs. The players have become specialists in different formats. Even with most test teams playing a more dramatic and explosive style of game, the big hitters are more at home in formats like The Hundred and T20
Los Angeles Olympics
When it comes to the future of cricket – and the future of short-form cricket in particular – there could not be a bigger sign that T20 has become the default format for the growth of the game than the news that it would be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics. The fact that the host nation gets to choose the sports should not be ignored here either, with the US deciding that T20 was a good choice.
That American success at the 2024 T20 World Cup could not have come at a better time and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could see the game become even more popular. It will be interesting to see if T20 grows in the next four years, something that is definitely hoped for by those in charge of developing the game in the US.
Room for All
Although it is true that the shorter formats of cricket have become the most popular in the last 10-20 years, it is important to remember that all formats of the game should be cherished and promoted. It is not just the old-fashioned fans who love test match cricket, it is the original way the game was played and provides a sense of history and culture that all others have benefitted from.
Equally, those traditionalists who bemoan the new formats as ratings-chasers should instead welcome the new fans to the game and be glad that there are people willing to keep the sport alive. There is definitely room for all formats of the game to survive and thrive – and hopefully, cricket will become even more popular in the future, as more and more people discover the simple joys of the game.
