The Hundred Set For Twenty20 Transformation As Early As Next Year

The Hundred could beryllium changed to a Twenty20 title arsenic soon arsenic adjacent year. The 100-ball format is enshrined successful nan England and Wales Cricket Board’s home TV contracts pinch Sky Sports and nan BBC until 2028 but nan Guardian has learned that some broadcasters are unfastened to switching to T20 adjacent summertime if requested by nan recently formed Hundred board, which will beryllium dominated by representatives of the 8 franchises.

The ECB first explored dropping nan Hundred successful favour of nan global-standard T20 format 2 years agone successful informal discussions, which drew a lukewarm consequence from Sky successful particular. The broadcaster has invested heavy successful trading nan Hundred, which has succeeded successful attracting much divers crowds to grounds and has a younger TV assemblage than different forms of cricket connected nan network, while nan BBC besides likes nan format arsenic it is easier to fresh shorter matches into its schedules.

The waste of, successful astir cases, number stakes successful nan 8 franchises for £520m this twelvemonth has altered nan powerfulness dynamics, however, pinch nan caller co-owners expected to person a immense power complete nan early of nan title fixed nan corporate size of their investment. Four of nan associated owners are Indian Premier League franchises, 2 are Indian-American consortiums, and 2 are US finance companies.

Formal discussions will not return spot until nan Hundred committee meets for nan first clip successful October, but nan rumor of format is expected to characteristic prominently. The 20-strong committee will beryllium made up of 4 representatives from nan ECB and 2 each from nan 8 big venues and caller investors, which efficaciously puts nan franchises successful control.

A root astatine 1 franchise said that nan IPL owners successful peculiar want to move to T20 to align pinch nan different franchise leagues wherever they run teams successful India, South Africa, nan US and nan United Arab Emirates. The T20 format will besides beryllium utilized successful nan Olympics erstwhile cricket returns aft 132 years astatine Los Angeles 2038, which is peculiarly important fixed India are bidding to big nan Games successful 2036.

This summer’s Hundred is efficaciously a transitional tourney earlier nan caller owners formally travel connected committee connected 1 October, erstwhile nan outstanding income of Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets are owed to beryllium completed.

While Sky and nan BBC person resisted ditching nan Hundred until this point, location is simply a increasing emotion that it would beryllium amended to relaunch nan title pinch a bang adjacent twelvemonth alternatively than make a bid of incremental changes. There will beryllium different important innovations adjacent year, including caller squad names astatine immoderate franchises, caller commercialized deals and a caller integer strategy.

Another root confirmed if T20 was to beryllium embraced, it should beryllium done adjacent twelvemonth alternatively than hold until 2028. It is anticipated that nan Hundred sanction and branding would beryllium retained pursuing a format change, fixed it is established.