What is happening to the game of cricket? What is Twenty20 cricket? Is the new version of the willow sport contrary to traditional standards of fairness or rectitude?
The modern one-day cricket has its origin in the establishment of the Gillette Cup in England in 1963, but the first One-day International (ODI) was actually played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia, also the birthplace of Test cricket, on January 5, 1971.
Incidentally, the MCG has the honour of staging the first Test match in 1877, as well as the first One-day International (ODI) in 1970-71. But the then Australian Cricket Board (ACB), keeping in view the public interest, had decided to substitute the washed out and abandoned Third Test of the Ashes series with a one-day match at the MCG. The first-ever one-dayer, which Australia won by five wickets, became the trend-setter in the international cricket.
ENTERS KERRY PACKER:
But cricket fans the world over cannot forget the contribution of Australian business tycoon Kerry Packer, who not only added colour to the game, played under floodlights and in colour kits, but also played a vital role in providing maximum financial benefits to cricketers. Packer was best known for founding the World Series Cricket (WSC). Night matches have become very common in most nations, and one-day cricket has become the most widely followed form of the game.
There are no two opinions that the one-day game has damaged Test cricket as "drawn matches" kept the spectators away from the stadia and even forced investors to cut down their publicity budget, especially allocated for cricket. Keeping in view the financial losses suffered by the cricket boards of the member countries, the International Cricket Council (ICC) came to their rescue and announced the organising of the One-day World Cup contest.
In the beginning, it was proposed to the ICC that a World Cup competition be held, possibly with three-day or five-day matches, but the proposal was refined to a one-day series and, in 1973 the ICC approved the staging of the first World Cup in England in 1975.
WORLD CUP:
The first match in the inaugural World Cup was the 19th One-Day International in world cricket. The second and third World Cups were also held in England in 1979 and 1983. The first match in the fourth World Cup, held in India and Pakistan in 1987, was the 449th One-Day International, demonstrating the rapid growth in the popularity of the One-day International game. As at January 22,1992, the number of One-Day International matches totalled 713. Though the West Indies had won the first two World Cups, skipper Clive Lloyds was not happy with the new version of the game.
In his view, "one day cricket is a criminal assault on cricket." But the new version of the game continued to attract large crowds in the cricket-playing countries. Even business tycoons, who were hesitant to sponsor Test matches, evinced keen interest in associating themselves and their products with the one-day cricket, which effectively forced cricket fans to turn to the stadia.
And with the tremendous success of the first ICC Twenty20 Cup held in South Africa, former Test stars are of the opinion that this version has all the ingredients to attract big finance, both from the gate money, radio and television rights, and sponsorship. They opined that Test cricket had hardly survived the shock given by one-day cricket, this newest version of the game, Twenty20, would definitely add to the woes of five-day game.
KARACHI & TWENTY20 CRICKET:
While one-day cricket was gaining popularity across the globe, cricket enthusiasts in Karachi went a step ahead to engage players during the holy month of Ramazan when the sports activities virtually come to a complete halt.
But one may not believe that Karachi is the birthplace of the latest version of the game Twenty20, now recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Karachi is very well known for street cricket, including tennis ball and tapeball night cricket tournaments, especially during the holy month of Ramazan.
The shortest version of the game, ie Twenty20 tapeball cricket tournaments, were usually played under floodlights on the streets. Starting soon after the Taraveeh, the matches would continued till Sehri, attracting a large number of people, including the elders of the area.
Way back in 1976-77, Nazimabad Gymkhana took the lead and announced the staging of Ramazan Cricket Festival -- Nazimabad Super Cup -- at the Nazimabad's Eidgah ground. Participated by all important clubs of Karachi - Sangham Sports, Pak Gymkhana, Northern Gymkhana, Mehran Cricket Club, Munawwar Sports etc -- the matches used to start soon after Zohr prayers and would finish half-an-hour before Iftar.
The idea behind the Twenty20 cricket tournament was none other than that of Surgeon Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, who along with his close associates in the Nazimabad Gymkhana like Mehtab Ahmed, umpire Afzaal Ahmed, plastic Surgeon Faiz Mohammad Khan, Haji Iftikhar and M. M. Beg.
Encouraged by a number of spectators, the organisers shifted the venue of the Naziamabd Super Cup from Nazimabad Eidgah ground to Bakhtiyari Youth Centre to accommodate the maximum number of people. At the same time, Shalimar Cricket of Nazimabad had also started the Ramazan Tournament at Annu Bhai, but following the death of M. M. Beg, who was instrumental in starting Ramazan cricket tournaments in Nazimabad, Shalimar Cricket Club had to discontinue the event because of the non-availability of Annu Bhai Park for various reasons.
SPONSORSHIP:
In the beginning the sponsors were hesitant to support such tournaments, but with the passage of time, businessmen started sponsoring these tournaments, which gave maximum milage to their products in the minimum possible time.
Interestingly, the game had no official status, but the organisers of such tournaments enjoyed indirect support and blessings of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA).
Gradually, all clubs, having their own grounds, had made Ramazan cricket a regular feature in their annual programmes.
KG RAMAZAN CRICKET:
In 1984-85, Karachi Gymkhana also announced the holding of the Ramazan Cricket Festival.
Since Karachi Gymkhana had no problem in attracting sponsors, the KG Ramazan Cricket Tournament offered lucrative prizes for the winners, runners-up, man of the tournament, man of the match, best player of the tournament, best bowler and best all-rounder. At present, over a dozen Twenty20 tournaments are being played across the city, but the most popular venues are Karachi Gymkhana and Asghar Ali Shah Cricket Stadium.
Unlike Karachi Gymkhana where only one match is played daily between Zohr and Maghreb prayers, two matches are played at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, one between Zohr and Maghreb prayers and the other under floodlights after Namaz-e-Taraveeh till 2.30 a. m.
It is interesting to note that not only Karachi-based former and even the present Test cricketers enjoy playing Twenty20 Ramazan cricket tournaments at Ashghar Ali Shah Stadium and at Karachi Gymkhana.
MIANDAD'S VIEW:
Former captain Javed Miandad has warned that the continued promotion of the Twenty20 cricket poses a threat to Test cricket.
Criticising the International Cricket Council (ICC) for turning cricket into baseball, Miandad said: "In its efforts to further commercialise and globalise the sport, the ICC is ruining the traditional character and spirit of the game.
"This is not the cricket we played and are aware of. Winning any tournament is a achievement for any team, but this is not real cricket," he said. Miandad said if the Twenty20 was allowed to flourish as One-day Internationals had, sponsors and spectators would eventually turn away from Test cricket.
"Why would a sponsor bother putting money into Test matches when he can get more mileage in less time? Why would people come to watch Test matches if they can get bang-bang action in four hours?"
Miandad said he was also concerned that if youngsters were introduced to cricket through Twenty20 games, the sport would eventually be deprived of quality players.
Former wicketkeeper and captain Rashid Latif agreed, saying there was a need to keep both forms of the game apart. "It can be done but the ICC and national boards must guard against an overdose of Twenty20 cricket because it has the potential to destroy traditional cricket," he said.