Delhi: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is working on a new World Club Championship plan. This tournament would be the same as before the Champions League T20 (CLT20). The last season of CLT20 was played in 2014, in which Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

CLT20 was launched in 2009, but it was discontinued in 2014 due to lack of low public interest and commercial benefits. Now that many countries of the world have started their own franchise T20 leagues such as The Handred of England, South Africa’s SA20, UAE’s ILT20 and America’s MLC, then the demand for an international club tournament is again arising.

ECB’s CEO proposes

ECB’s CEO Richard Guld said in a conversation with Espncricinfo that a World Club Championship can now be the next major step to move forward, and it should be for both men and women.

He said, “This is in the plan. There is no doubt that there will be a World Club Championship later. For both men and women. This is the next logical step.”

Richard Guld also admitted that the old CLT20 tournament was ahead of its time. He said, “That tournament had come ahead of time. Its expectations could not be met at the commercial level, but it was really a good event.”

Support of IPL teams will also be necessary for such a World Club League as 8 out of 10 IPL franchisees also have a stake in other countries. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal also gestured some time ago that if such a league could benefit the game, BCCI can consider it.

Now it has to be seen whether cricket fans get to see a new International Club T20 League again.