Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: The second season of the International League (IT) T20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will feature a Super-sub rule, and all six participating teams will have the option to substitute one player at any stage of the match after completion of the first over of the innings. If needed, the super-sub rule can be used by the teams right from the beginning of the second innings.Former India captain Anjum Chopra, who will be commentating on ILT20 season two happening from January 19 to February 17, believes the success of impact player rule in the IPL in 2023, which is the base for the super-sub ruling, has shown other leagues a path to follow.
“It’s nice as in India we saw this rule in the form of Impact Player in domestic cricket a year and a half back before the IPL. Also, most other leagues have started utilising that rule, so Super-sub is a nice thing as long as it doesn’t take too much time on the ground with the changes, which doesn’t because the umpire has to just give the indication that the Super-sub change is going to be made.”
“If this rule creates a little bit of a value, it can be biased towards certain teams, depending upon the result, as it has been seen in the past during the league in India. But if one league is doing it and is being successful, then it makes a lot of sense for others to try and follow suit and take it from there on, so it’s a nice thing,” said Anjum in an exclusive conversation with IANS, facilitated by broadcasters Zee.
Moreover, ILT20 is going to be the third franchise league to deploy the wildcard player rule after The Hundred in England and SA20 in South Africa. Under this, the six franchises in ILT20 are permitted to add up to two additional players to their squad and can come at any stage during the season.
“That’s something different and new that ILT20 has introduced. I also read somewhere that SA20 had also done that. If the wildcards are signed in ILT20 and come into the squad, how does that work out with the Super-sub? So that will be exciting to see in the ILT20,” added Anjum, who is one of the three women commentators in ILT20 alongside Reema Malhotra and Natalie Germanos.
Following the footsteps of ICC and other major T20 leagues, the ILT20 has also introduced rules to penalise slow-over rate offences. If a bowling team is an over behind the cut-off time, then only four fielders will be permitted outside the 30-yard circle.
In case of the bowling team being two overs behind, only three fielders can field outside the 30-yard circle, while for being three overs behind, only three fielders will be permitted in the outfield, and this comes with a financial penalty of 5% of match fee per over on the bowling team.
“Its very essential, a wonderful move and initiative. ICC had put out a few months ago that a penalty would be imposed if you don’t complete stipulated overs in a given time. In the recent women’s game, India had been penalised for it. It’s an absolutely essential move, keeping in mind the growth of the game and the number of matches played.”
“We have to ensure that the game starts and finishes on time. If an audience switches on their TV or comes into the stadium, they must know that they will be able to leave at a certain time and go back home. The same goes for the audience who are watching the world from whichever part of the game.”
“They should also have that luxury level and comfort that in this period, the match will finish and can line something up over whatever they require. I feel it’s absolutely essential that the time management must be implemented and it should be followed,” elaborated Anjum.
The ILT20, which now has a List A status, will also see players like veteran Australia opener David Warner, who recently retired from Tests and ODIs, as well as Pakistan’s fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, participate in the upcoming tournament.
“When fresh from the Sydney Test, David Warner lands in Dubai, I am sure people will be lining up in Dubai to watch him bat because he’s an accomplished cricketer and is a widely-known match-winner as well. He’s really going to add that star value, as we all know ILT20 is all about international cricketers, and not just home talent.”
“So, all of those nine international players in an ILT20 playing eleven are widely respected and accomplished, which will make the competition even more intense. Once the rivalry (between Warner and Shaheen) extends from Australia-Pakistan Sydney Test to T20s here, it will add a lot of value,” adds Anjum.
With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup set to happen in the USA and West Indies from June 1-29, the importance of every T20 game, irrespective of being at an international or domestic level, increases. Many players, as well as coaches and selection committee members, will be using ILT20 as crucial preparation for the World Cup.
“It’s not that the players will get selected by their respective teams (for the T20 World Cup) by playing in the ILT20. But when you play a league like this, especially as a cricketer if you are in-form, in a neutral venue alongside international players and if you score runs as a batter against them, it gives you a different confidence.”
“As a bowler, when you come into neutral conditions, and then you perform well, it gives you a different confidence. If you start picking your form in the league after being out of form, it gives you that bit of extra cushion and a message to selectors back home that these players have gone out of their comfort zone and have done well, as well as are capable of adding value because they have done recently well.”
“It’s about peaking at the right time to get into their respective national teams. You can be batting with an Australian, bowling to a Pakistani player or shaking hands with a UAE national. So, you are facing diversity at all times, which is out of your comfort zone as a player.”
“If you do there well, then the selectors and stakeholders get a message that ‘x’ player is in form and I am sure everyone aiming to play for their respective countries will be putting their heads up for selections via ILT20,” elaborated Anjum.
She also feels that the second season of ILT20 will be different as teams are now aware of how they need to go about things in UAE conditions. “In the last season, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders played under-par, so that is one thing that they would want to change very quickly.”
“MI Emirates was one of the top teams which had Kieron Pollard leading from the front, but they had a mixed season last time and you don’t associate them with not being right in the championship-winning stage. I felt Dubai Capitals was a very good squad, but somewhere down the line, they couldn’t make it towards the final. So, all these sides were new in the first season.”
“But for the second season, they know what and how to expect, as well as how to manage a team and the players which will be there. For the second season, I am sure we will see a lot more changes and competitiveness than we got to see in the first season, as that time it was just the inauguration and everyone was trying to find their feet and by that time, the tournament is nearly done. So, this season should be a different one.”
Cricket fans in India can watch the ILT20 2024 season on Zee’s 10 linear TV channels: &Pictures, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema, Zee Zest, Zee Ganga, Zee Cinemalu HD, &Flix, &Flix HD and Zee Zest HD and OTT platform – ZEE5.
