By IANS,
New Delhi : While cricket puritans anticipate cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) to damage the sport, Sri Lanka wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara says its is the other way round.
Sangakarra, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, feels that playing in Twenty20 league would, in fact, give a boost to Tests.
“I know some people have big fears that the rise of Twenty20 cricket and tournaments like the IPL will endanger Test cricket, but I’m convinced such concerns are overblown. The game’s different formats can co-exist if administered properly. In fact, I anticipate Test cricket will get more entertaining as a result of the skills developed in Twenty20,” Sangakkara wrote in his column in Daily Telegraph.
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Need to balance cricket and entertainment: Ian Chappell
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has said that Twenty20 cricket needs to evolve and that, if IPL wants to be a success, it is important for it to strike a balance between the cricket skills and the entertainment factor.
“There is a dire need to ensure they achieve the right balance between cricket skills and the entertainment factor. I once watched an American gridiron game live in Australia and came away thinking that any game that relied heavily on dancing girls was a rather shallow sport,” Chappel wrote in Crincinfo.
“I like the game, and when it’s played the way it was in the seconds semi-final of last year’s world tournament in Durban. However, I’m just not sure about 40-odd successive days of Twenty20 cricket. Everything in moderation is not a bad motto.”
“There are still people who like to watch cricket with a mate who understands what is going on and discuss the play between overs. They don’t want to be deafened by loud music or inane chatter over the PA. If Twenty20 is going to make a serious long-term contribution to the game, a variety of fans need to be embraced,” he added.
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McCullum will miss IPL
New Zealand wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum playing for Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL has admitted that he will miss the Twenty20 League when he leaves Tuesday to join his national team for the England tour.
“It’s going to be hard to leave this,” McCullum, who a smashed 158 in the opening contest, told the Dominion Post. “This is where it is all happening, but having said that, I understand that there is a tour to England about to begin, which is really important.”