After a relatively quiet first few months in 2010 the cricketing world will look forward to the T 20 World Cup scheduled to be held in the Caribbean from the 28th April for a little over two weeks. As we know the T 20 version has become the most popular type of cricket and has been instantly embraced by the fans similar to the speed of the game itself.

With the huge hype and interest in the IPL which will begin even earlier, 12th of March to be precise, and the flavour it dishes out, the world of cricket can’t wait for it to happen with interest levels even amongst none cricket fans being very high. However the down side of all this is the popularity of the IPL which is soaring and as such there could be a grave danger to traditional test cricket as fixtures such as the Ashes, The Wisden Trophy etc could pale into insignificance. In view of the said situation it wont be a surprise if future fixtures are conducted between franchises and not between countries as players may opt to play a freelance role rather than committing to their National cricket boards! Freddie Flintoff the former England all rounder is the best example! Getting himself released from the central contract of the ECB Flintoff could now decide on the cricket he wants to play, be it IPL or for his country!

Kings XI Punjab appointed Kumar Sangakkara as its new captain for DLF IPL 2010. The Sri Lankan player replaces Yuvraj Singh who had led the team for the last two seasons with great efficiency and passion.

What could be the reason for this sudden change of wind or was it coming for a time? Without doubt the huge sums of money paid to the players will become the central attraction and who can blame a player for accepting it? A closer look at a modern player and his career only confirms what a challenge it is. Whilst a few could be in the supra grade of things very few really go that far! In the Sri Lankan perspective it may be Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Jayawardane, Dilshan and Muralitharan. These are the big stars and the crowd pullers and the sort after bunch whilst the rest have to endure tough times and they cannot be faulted for making hay when the sun shines!A cricketer today goes through a highly demanding schedule be it at playing or training or keeping himself fit. A modern international cricketer on an average would play at least 10 Test matches around 30 to 40 ODI’s and another 5 to 10 T 20 games!

This would involve around 100 days of the year. Then what about their training and quality time with their family? It’s all a hugely demanding task. As such taking the easy route by signing for an IPL or a similar league can take them to somewhat of a comfort zone which will not demand too much out of them! And who can possibly find fault with them either? Having said that it is a hugely comforting feeling to know that some players still have the burning desire to play for their country! Otherwise why would Sanath Jayasuriya toil so hard at the advanced cricketing age of 40? It is definitely the satisfaction and the pride they derive out of playing for their country! But the question here is how long can the Boards continue to maintain that factor in a player? What more can they do to keep it going?

Whilst many may not realize the danger the events such as IPL has caused to the establishment, at least it is time now that the respective officials and the ICC move to address the situation without delay.
The current scenario in T 20 cricket is, IPL is T 20 and T 20 is IPL! I am sure that’s how it has sunk in to the hearts and minds of the people around the world though we do have a few games between countries at the beginning or the end of a tour which appear to be largely insignificant by comparison. The reason being these games are nowhere close to the sound and the hype an IPL makes and that’s a another factor as T 20 cricket was invented for its entertainment value and that’s precisely what the viewing public would want and which the IPL has been providing to them in abundance!

A factor which has to be matched in traditional and official fixtures between countries which is not the case at the moment! However the answer to this question or the challenge appears to lie in the T 20 World Cup itself. Where proper international cricket is cultivated between countries! I am not surprised to see players raising their fists and celebrating when they achieve something for the country. But how they could garner the same passion when they do it for a franchise is what surprises me, which is all the more reason why I feel the T 20 World Cup which gives a player the opportunity to showcase his love for the country should be developed and supported. Maybe even work out a way where the rewards to a player gets closer to the IPL level!

Another look at the IPL tells all of us a remarkable story of its marketable nature and the revenue earned off it and TV. Surely the Indian board will not do such a huge event for a small return! They are sure to have a very decent ROI. So why cant the IC with a greater acceptance worldwide work on similar revenue models and disburse more money to the member boards that in return could remunerate their players better? Wouldn’t it give a player an option and some sort of a security for representing one’s country rather than looking at making a fast buck so to speak?

Whilst I am not in anyway suggesting that the IPL should be stopped or thought bad, though there is no arguments that anything has two sides to it. What is required is to dispense with the negatives, as I am sure the positives of the IPL could be used immensely by the establishment to ensure that the players are protected and kept in the game and more importantly with their national teams as otherwise it would only spell doom to this great game as there is no game or entertainment with out players, which is the precise commodity that has to be protected!

Roshan Abeysinghe is a leading cricket promoter and an international cricket commentator