Sports

From humble beginnings to a billion dollar business

Published

4 years ago

2021/10/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka won the World T20 trophy in 2014.

by Rex Clementine

When England cricket bosses discussed the idea of T-20 cricket as a third form of the game in 2003, they would have never imagined the popularity of the game would have soared so high. The format was introduced for one specific reason; the dwindling number of fans in English County Cricket. It was a concern for the authorities and they thought a condensed version of the game with fans enjoying an evening under lights was the best way to bring them back to the game.

Former cricket supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya’s take on T-20 cricket was interesting. Dalmiya showed up at the press box when the 2003 50 over World Cup semi-final involving India was taking place in Durban. Now Dalmiya had just finished his tenure as the President of International Cricket Council and was back with India as the President of BCCI. When a British journalist put through the idea to him during a press conference, the business tycoon from Calcutta said, “You people in England may need another format for the game to infuse interest. But not us in India. When they play a Test match in my backyard at Eden Gardens, there are 100,000 fans inside the ground and 5000 fans outside the ground.”

Now Dalmiya is no fool. At a time when BCCI was paying television companies to telecast Indian cricket it was he who changed the trend by selling Indian television right in 1980s. His dig at England was just his way of sending the message across to Lord’s. Your game maybe struggling to survive but ours is in very good hands.

India wasn’t quick to embrace T-20 cricket. In fact, they had reservations about taking part in the first ever World T-20 in 2007 held in South Africa. There had to be compromises made to ensure that India participated in the event as otherwise the tournament would have been a flop. The money that Indian cricket brings is gigantic. If India tours Sri Lanka for two weeks, the money generated from television rights is good enough to run Sri Lankan cricket for the entire year.

India in fact for the first World T-20 sent a second team under a 25-year-old captain. A certain M.S. Dhoni. The authorities never thought that this will turn the sport upside down. India won the title, in style, beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the finals. It was the first time they had won a global title since Kapil Dev’s side had won the 50 over World Cup in 1983. There was no looking back.

Around this time, the Indian board had a dynamic official by the name of Lalit Modi. Politically, Modi was powerful. He supported BJP and was known as the ‘Super Chief Minister’ of Rajastan.

Modi had studied Business Administration in the United States. It was in the US he had got a first taste of franchise sport. He tried to implement the same in India and the IPL was born.

IPL started in 2008 involving the world’s best players. The event also promoted young Indian cricketers. Suddenly you found players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli just out of Under-19 cricket sharing dressing rooms with the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Adam Gilchrist, Kumar Sangakkara, Chris Gayle and all world’s biggest stars. Indian cricket never looked back.

The ICC buoyed by the success of the inaugural World Cup made it a biannual event.

Sri Lanka had been very good at innovation and they were a hit in T-20 cricket winning bilateral series consistently and performing so well in ICC events. They reached the finals in 2009, 2012 and 2014 and won the event in Dhaka seven years ago.

The retirement of several seniors saw Sri Lanka struggling, especially in the shorter formats of the game. But the same seniors have now returned to help cricket in an advisory capacity and their game is looking to overcome the challenges.

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Sports

St. Benedict’s, Devapathiraja record victories

Published

46 seconds ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

St. Benedict’s registered innings and two runs win over Sri Dharmaloka College Kelaniya as Mevan Dissanayake excelled with impressive all round performances for the home team in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Cricket encounter at Kotahena.

‎It was a baptism of fire for the team from Kelaniya as they faced a well established school in the Tier ‘B’ two-day tournament for the first time after being promoted to the top Division of the premier schools cricket tournament.

‎They faced St. Joseph Vaz’s College earlier but their opponents were making their return to the top division. They managed to draw the first encounter.

‎At Kotahena they were dismissed for 188 and 105. Dissanayake bagged eight wickets including a five wicket haul in the second innngs to follow up his knock of 91 which set the stage for victory.

‎‎Meanwhile in another Tier B encounter Devapathiraja bounced back to pull off one wicket victory over St. Anthony’s Wattala.

‎The boys from Wattala did well to restrict Devapathiraja to 95 runs and take a lead of 29 runs. But Pijith Wathsuka, Gimhan Rasanjana, Sandaru Malshan and Yasiru Lakshan teamed up well to pull off a stunning win

‎‎‎Bens in innings win at Kotahena

‎‎Scores

‎‎St. Benedict’s 295 for 9 decl. in 56.4 overs (Mevan Dissanayake 91, Vihanga Rathnayake 42, Yohan Edirisinghe 31, Ayesh Gajanayake 49; Sathindu Praboda 4/98, Tharusha Mihiranga 2/66)

‎Sri Dharmaloka

188 all out in 56.3 overs (Senuka Pehesara 53, Kaveen Deneth 79; Ayesh Gajanayake 2/31, Mewan Dissanayake 3/55, Vihanga Rathnayke 4/19) and 105 all out in 35.4 overs (Vipun Sasanka 21, Tharush Mihiranga 32; Mewan Dissanayake 5/29, Vihanga Rathnayake 2/36, Lithika Jayasundara 3/34)

‎‎Devapathiraja in exciting one wicket win at Wattala

‎‎Scores

‎St. Anthony’s 124 all out in 30.4 overs (Shehara Dewthilina 51, Sandil Chathuranga 21, Rima Bashika 21n.o.; Sandaru Malshan 2/23, Puljith Wathsuka 4/19, Gimhan Rasanjana 3/13) and 100 all out in 43 overs (Hithesh Ruwanda 42n.o., ; Sandaru Malshan 5/40, Gimhan Rasanjana 2/37)

‎Devapathiraja

95 all out in 33.2 overs (Gimhan Rasanjana 24n.o., Ridma Bashika2/36, Vishmitha Saroj 2/22, Kavindu Senadi 4/33) and 131 for 9 in 26.3 overs (Yasiru Lakshan 26, Pulgith Wathsuka 28, Gimhan Rasanjana 42; Rima Bashika 2/18, Kavindu Senadi 4/48, Wishmitha Saroj 2/43)

by Reemus Fernando ✍️

Latest News

Rodrigues fifty leads India’s chase after bowlers set up victory against Sri Lanka

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Jemimah Rodrigues got off to a brisk start [BCCI]

There was a little bit of rustiness as India returned to action 50 days after becoming ODI world champions, but not so much to prevent them from registering a dominant win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.

Despite dew being a constant presence on a cool evening, India’s spinners rallied to keep Sri Lanka’s top order in check – even if they did not pick up wickets in a heap – thus restricting them to 121 for 6. It was a below-par total given that the dew was only going to increase as the temperatures reduced – something Harmanpreet Kaur had alluded to while choosing to chase at the toss. India made easy work of it to get home with eight wickets and 32 balls to spare, starting their road to the T20 World Cup 2026 in June on the right note.

Jemimah Rodrigues, batting for the 100th time in T20Is, struck a 14th half-century in the format to help the hosts canter. There was a mild intrigue around India’s No. 3, with Harleen Deol batting at that spot for two games in England, and Harmanpreet signaling her intent to be India’s one drop at the last T20 World Cup. But Rodrigues’ 69 not out from 44 balls should dispel any doubts India would have had.

This was India’s sixth win in ten games since being knocked out in the league stage of the 2024 iteration.

Brief scores:
India Women 122 for 2 in 14.4 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69*, Smriti Mandhana 25, Harmanpreet Kaur 15*; Kawya Kavindi 1-20, Inoka Ranaweera 1-17) beat Sri Lanka Women 121 for 6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 39, Chamari Athapaththu 15, Hasini Perera 20, Harshita Samarawickrama 21; Deepti Sharma 1-20, Kranti Gaud 1-23, Shree Charani 1-30) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Sameer Minhas 172 powers Pakistan to Under-19 Asia Cup title

Published

7 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Sameer Minhas made the highest score by a Pakistan batter in Youth ODIs [Cricinfo]

Opener Sameer Minhas blitzed his way to 172 off 113 balls, setting up Pakistan’s demolition of India in thDeepeshe Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. In response to Pakistan’s 347 for 8, India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs.

Minhas’ knock was the highest individual score for Pakistan, and also, the highest individual score by any batter in a final in Youth ODIs. He hit 17 fours and nine sixes during his stay, and fell in the 43rd over, finishing with a strike rate of 152.21.

In response, Vaibhav Suriyawvanshi – having scored 5, 50, 9 and 26 in tournament since his 171 against UAE – made an explosive start to India’s chase. He smashed three sixes and a four, but Ali Raza had him nicking off for 26 off 10 balls. India had reached their fifty in the fifth over and by the end of the powerplay, they were 68 for 5.

Pakistan came into the final having bowled out each of their opposing batting line-ups in the tournament. This contest was no different – four Pakistan bowlers shared wickets among them, with Raza prising out three more wickets to finish with match figures of 4 for 42.

India were reduced to 120 for 9, but Deepesh Devendran offered some late resistance with 36 off 16 balls, including six fours and two sixes. No other India batter passed 30 in the chase. India’s innings ended when Raza had Devendran holing out in the 27th over.

Earlier in the day, Devendran had copped punishment from the Pakistan batters, conceding 83 runs in his ten overs though he took three wickets at the death.

Minhas was well-supported by Ahmed Hussain – the only other batter to cross fifty in the innings. Hussain made 56 off 72 balls and added 137 for the third wicket along with Minhas.

Pakistan faced a slight slowdown in the death overs, especially once Minhas was dismissed – they only managed 71 runs in the final ten for the loss of five wickets. Devendran took three of those wickets, but his death bowling was a footnote by the time he swung for the hills in India’s chase, and was eventually caught at point.

Pakistan wrapped up a 191-run win and tuned up nicely for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup.

Brief scores:
Pakistan Under 19s 347 for 8 in 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 172, Ahmed Hussain 56, Usman Khan 35; Henil Patel 2-62, Deepesh Devendran 3-83, Khilan Patel 2-44 ) beat India Under 19s 156 in 26.2 overs (Deepesh Devendran 36, Vaibhav Suryawanshi 26; Ali Raza 4-42, Mohammed Sayyam 2-38, Huzaif Ahsan 2-12) by 191 runs

[Cricinfo]