IPL chief backs global T20 expansion but dismisses Saudi league speculation

INDIA’S cricket board supports the rise in the number of T20 leagues globally, but the chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has steered clear of speculation around an event backed by Saudi Arabia.

As the popular IPL kicked off its 18th edition, Arun Dhumal said the league had become stronger, and the growth of the T20 format would eventually help the game ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which includes cricket.

“The idea of getting cricket into the Olympics is that the game grows through the length and breadth of the globe. It is good that more leagues are taking shape and we don’t see anybody as a threat,” Dhumal said.

“We would want to make sure more and more games happen across the different territories, the newer territories. Whether it is Saudi, America, Europe, it doesn’t matter. Nobody can stop anybody and we would not want to stop anyone. We would only focus on strengthening our tournament and our property.”

He added, “As far as my knowledge goes, there is no infrastructure as of now in Saudi Arabia that can cater to a tournament of this scale.

“So, there is no point discussing speculative stories.”

A report in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 15 said that a proposed global Twenty20 league would be backed by the sports arm of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, and feature eight teams playing in four different locations.

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, Richard Gould, said there was not enough room in the calendar for it.

“With the busy international calendar, a host of established franchise leagues around the world, and existing concerns about player workloads, there is no scope or demand for such an idea,” Gould told the Herald. “It’s not something that we would support.”

The ECB is keen to protect its own 100-ball format league, The Hundred, having raised $1.27 billion (£984 million) last month after selling franchise stakes to private investors.

The IPL remains the benchmark in franchise cricket, while Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates also have their own T20 leagues.

Estimated to be worth more than $12bn (£9.3bn), the IPL is considered the second most-valued sporting league in the world, behind the NFL [National Football League] in the US.

Dhumal, who is also in the chief executives committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC), said a bigger window for the IPL would benefit all stakeholders. “When a bigger window is available, we would want to increase the number of games and the duration of the tournament,” he added.

“If you ask from the players’ perspective, this is the one tournament no player in the world would want to miss out on. In that sense, in case there is a bigger window and more games, it works well for everyone.”

However, it appears challenging to increase the duration of the IPL until at least 2031.

Dhumal stressed that the event had to continue to innovate in order to maintain its supremacy by enhancing experience for the fans.

“The fan is at the heart of any sport... Our goal is to solidify IPL’s position as the world’s premier sporting league.

“Our efforts are reflected in the consistent viewership records broken in India, alongside the significant surge in viewership across the UK, US, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East.

“And since there is a shift happening towards club cricket, with a lot many leagues growing on the footsteps of the IPL.

“So, in that sense, IPL has to be the leader for all other leagues to follow.