‘GSL not in competition with other T20 leagues but a partnership’: Guyana President | Cricket News
Guyana is banking on its rich cricket legacy – which produced players like Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Alvin Kallicharran – and strong fan support to become the next stop in the sport. The first step towards that objective was taken by launching the Cricket West Indies-backed Global Super League (GSL).The GSL has featured teams from the Caribbean Premier League, Australia’s Sheffield Shield or Big Bash League, Bangladesh Premier League, England’s Vitality Blast, New Zealand’s Super Smash, Pakistan Super League and UAE’s ILT20.“We are just a few hours away from the USA with huge Asian diaspora that are very cricket-oriented, whether that is Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and then the natural West Indian diaspora. So we have decided to put in place an ecosystem to support cricket as a major plan of that sports tourism,” said Guyanese President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.“On the economic side, we strongly believe that the product that we have launched – the Global Super League – is not meant to be in competition with any product. It is meant to be in partnership with all the different T20 products. That is why the Global Super League sought to, first of all, engage the ICC. In having the ICC understand what we want to achieve, and having the ICC on board.“In developing the Global Super League, we then went to all the major boards. And seek to involve the winners, just like what the (now defunct) Champions League (CLT20) did – the winners of the different T20 leagues. And to bring them into this format. But this format is not only about cricket. It is about cricket, it’s about development, it’s about entertainment, it’s about culture.”CLT20, which was jointly owned by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket Australia, ran for six seasons before it was cancelled due to poor viewing figures, lack of audience interest and unstable sponsorship.Dr. Ali, however, believes GSL can be successful in the long run. “In the first year, I believe it has ruffled enough feathers. And created enough news for people to understand this is a serious league. And this is a league powered by a small developing nation,” he said.“It’s a league that has not cut any corners. Or taken any shortcut to the level of professionalism and the quality of product that we want to achieve,” he added.Dr. Ali admits that BCCI’s involvement is important in making it bigger. The Indian cricket board has had a long-standing policy that does not allow active Indian players to participate in overseas T20 tournaments unless they retire from all Indian cricket, including the IPL and domestic formats.“India cannot be developing the level of talent that it is developing just for its borders. It’s like boxing. You can’t be a world champion if you only want to fight in your borders. And BCCI is doing an enormous disservice to the magnitude of talent that India has by not allowing participation in this league,” he stressed.“This (the tournament) should not be seen a criticism or competition but as an opportunity. Because we want to partner with India. We are naturally part of the diaspora. And I believe that India itself, the BCCI, should have a Diaspora 11 even to start with. Because cricket is much more than a game. It’s a cultural identity.“And I even raised this with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. That if you really want to reach out to the diaspora, which is a big part of his agenda. If you really want to integrate the diaspora in what you do, it has to be in every sphere of life. Not only political, economic, investment and trade. Culture and sports is the most impactful way in which you can integrate the diaspora.“Because if you have your talent coming down to play in the league. And you give them an opportunity also to be seen. India will have five (playing) XIs.”Dr. Ali said he will work on these matters following the Guyanese general elections on 1 September. He also urged the BCCI to champion the cause for smaller nations in not just furthering the sport but also with Olympics in three years time.“We’re here to build a product that is beyond the ecosystem. We want to support what India is doing and what the ICC is doing. We have already engaged the West Indies board as part of this. We want to engage them to play a deeper part in this. And we want India to really reconsider this approach to the Champions League.“We’re building. We’re investing in the facilities here. We’re investing to keep cricket alive in this part of the world. And if India really wants to make a breakthrough in this massive market that exists. Then they have a very natural partner in us.”Dr. Ali also pushed for a more collaborative approach between India and Guyana, going beyond cricket.“So we see cricket like India does. As having trade importance, business importance, economic importance, tourism importance, cultural importance. And also of course the game itself,” he concluded.
