IPL 2022: 3 reasons why CLT20 would have been perfect in recent years

The Champions League T20 was a great concept, but it could never claim its spot in the cricketing calendar alongside the IPL and had to be shunted away. However, during its brief stint, the tournament had its moments. But it could never get the attention of the fans, especially with the IPL taking off.

At a time when several T20 and T10 leagues are mushrooming all over the world, the time could be perfect for cricket boards to get together and present a revamped version of the CLT20. Yes, there could be arguments that we are already swamped with a lot of cricket, but CLT20 could still get its own slot.

As the new season of IPL is about to start, we take a look at three reasons why CLT20 could be a good idea in the current context:

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3.) Great breeding ground for domestic cricketers

Domestic cricketers will get a grand stage to perform

This is where the cricket boards need to come together and chalk out a slot for this league so that a number of domestic cricketers can get a chance to test their mettle ahead of their respective domestic seasons.

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa could be the venues where the Champions League can be staged and plenty of cricketers from other parts of the world can test themselves. With cricket going on all round the year, teams need solid benchstrength and this is why the Champions League in different places makes a lot of sense.

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2.) Financial benefit

CLT20 will help smaller boards be more financially viable like BCCI, ECB

Barring the big-three - India, England, Australia - the other cricket boards are always grappling with their resources and this is why the Champions League could really benefit them.

When the league was shelved previously, each participating team pocketed $200,000. The semi-finalists got $500,000 each. The runners-up added $1.3 million to their kitty while the winners bagged a whopping $2.5 million.

The onus will be on the respective boards and how they manage to carve out a niche for this league as it will inject a lot of financial stability into their coffers. It will be a great addition to the cricketing calendar while providing a lot of good-quality talent.

Check out the IPL prize money 2022 here.

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1.) Greater talent pool

Kieron Pollard became a household name with his CLT20 performances

A lot of players will showcase their potential in the Champions League and for the IPL franchise, this will be a great scouting field. With the number of teams growing to 10, there will be a lot of demand for more players.

At the mega auction held earlier this year, teams were looking to build a solid squad and they needed different options for different roles. The Champions League T20 exposes teams to talent from all across the globe. Players like Kieron Pollard and Quinton de Kock, among others made a name for themselves when they owned the stage in earlier versions of the CLT20 and have since been an integral part of the IPL.

In the initial years, fans witnessed top T20 cricketers showcase their potential in a rather condensed competition and perhaps the time has come that it could be back. It is a good idea on paper and if the cards are played right, it could be the perfect breeding ground for IPL sides.