T20 has become a business now: Stokes
The world is now dominated by T20. Due to the attraction of T20, many people are seeing it as a threat for the Test and ODI format. T20 cricket has changed the color of cricket, calculation of 22-yards. A single reign of franchise cricket is going on.
The batsmen are keeping the audience smitten with a flurry of four-sixes. The bowlers are also mesmerizing with excellent deliveries at important moments of the match. The popularity of this format of cricket is also high.
Radical changes have been coming since the start of T20. Along with this, the lifestyle of the cricketers and team officials has also changed. Capitalizing on the popularity, cricket playing countries are launching new franchise T20 leagues. According to cricket experts, T20 is the future of cricket.
England’s Test captain Ben Stokes recently opened up about T20. He said, “Franchise cricket has spread everywhere. For some people, T20 is now becoming a business. But it has good side for cricket. Life outside cricket, security and money opportunities are increasing, which were not there even 15 years ago”.
31-year-old Stokes also said, ”Test cricket will not be lost. I’m a big fan of this version. This is the highest and purest version of cricket. Do not lose Tests during T20. Test cricket is not dead.”
Stokes recently retired from ODIs because he could not handle the pressure of ICC’s busy cricket schedule.
Stokes’ comments about T20 have created hue and cry in the cricket world.
The 18-year-old was added to the squad after impressing with the England Lions in the United Arab Emirates during the team’s preparation camp for the tour.
Despite having just three first-class appearances under his belt and only making his LV= Insurance County Championship debut for Leicestershire in May, his ability convinced Stokes and Brendon McCullum to include him in the squad.
“I don’t think this is a case of, if he was to play, of giving caps away.
“We picked him in the squad, not just because of his talent, but because we thought it would be a good opportunity to play if we thought it was necessary.”
If Ahmed is awarded a debut in Karachi he will become England’s youngest men’s Test cricketer, beating the record held by Brian Close, who was 18 years and 149 days old when he first represented the country in 1949.
Jack Leach is the only other specialist spinner in the squad, although Will Jacks and Joe Root have had significant parts to play with the ball in the first two Tests after Liam Livingstone played a limited role at Rawalpindi before returning home with a knee injury.
Stokes believes there is more to Ahmed than just his bowling and praised his ability with the bat, with the teenager already having a first-class century to his name.
“He loves cricket. I’m struggling to work out what he is, whether he’s a batter or a leg-spinner, which is I guess good, because it shows how much talent he’s got,” said Stokes.
“We got snippets of what he can do with the bat in that warm-up game briefly (when Ahmed hit 26 from 10 balls, including three fours and two sixes).
