"Four overs of powerplay and 60-metre boundaries meant the contest between bat and ball was heavily in favour of the batsman. Bowlers were tearing their hair out as it rained sixes and fours, with batsmen amassing strike rates of 300 and above."
Thursday 21 December 2017 12:18, UK
With a few minor tweaks, it is not inconceivable that T10 cricket could be played at international level, writes Saj Sadiq, after witnessing the short-form frenzy in the UAE...
Connoisseurs of cricket will have been deeply upset and a tad concerned at the launch of the T10 League in United Arab Emirates last week.
Already smarting at the success of the 20-over format, lovers of Test cricket will undoubtedly see the 10-over game as a cheap imitation of cricket and potentially another format where fans could spend their hard-earned cash, rather than on the five-day format.
In an already-crowded international calendar, the possible introduction of another format, one which could interest a new generation of fans, could lead to more congestion and confusion.
T10 is obviously in its infancy, but the potential is there - and not only in Asia. Interest could even spread as far as America if the marketing is done with some thought, care and research.
Marketed as fast and fun cricket for the fans, the T10 Cricket League, which lasted four days, provided exactly that.
Six squads, owned by cricket-loving entrepreneurs and made up of some of the world's most entertaining cricketers such as Shahid Afridi, Eoin Morgan, Shoaib Malik, Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard, Mohammad Amir, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan battled it out at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium in front of vociferous and healthy crowds.
There was even room for a few veterans such as Virender Sehwag and Misbah-ul-Haq to wear their team's colours. Youngsters mixed with seasoned campaigners, the famous mixed with the lesser-known cricketers of the UAE and a good time was had by all.
To add to the hype, each of the six teams roped in celebrities from the world of cinema, stage and music to add to the glitz and glamour.
Each team had their own IPL-style group of fans in the crowd, all wearing their adopted team's colours and who the television cameras particularly focused on. At times it seemed more about the celebrities than the cricket, but that seems to be the general direction for the shorter-format tournaments around the world.
What had been mooted as a circus by some naysayers actually turned out to be a relative success. The final day of action, which saw two semi-finals and the final, was played in front of what organisers announced as a crowd of over 18,000.
Four overs of powerplay and 60-metre boundaries meant the contest between bat and ball was heavily in favour of the batsman. Bowlers were tearing their hair out as it rained sixes and fours, with batsmen amassing strike rates of 300 and above.
The boundary-hungry fans showed little remorse for the bowlers as they lapped up the opportunity to take a catch and win a share of one million Pakistani rupees. Even some of the world's best limited-overs bowlers went for plenty as batsmen enjoyed playing their strokes on the placid surface.
Ten-over cricket provides fans with an opportunity to watch their heroes playing in a fast-paced and frantic format. The importance of a dot ball is emphasised by the fact that a ball that no run is scored off has a sponsor.
This format is definitely not for the faint-hearted as batsmen come in from ball one with only one aim - to smash the ball to all parts - while bowlers look to escape a thrashing from their allotted two overs. Slower balls, quicker balls, whatever the bowlers could muster just seemed to fly to, or over, the boundary. Who would be a bowler in this format!?
Fans in attendance stated that they enjoyed the cricket and the overall experience. Loud music, colour, razzmatazz and the chance to watch their heroes at close quarters certainly appeals to a certain type of cricket fan - and that type of fan is ever-increasing in numbers. Add to this that a match can be over in a couple of hours and you have a format that could grow and increase in popularity.
In terms of rules and regulations, there are obvious flaws which need addressing. Does an innings of 10 overs really need four overs of powerplay? Do fielding restrictions really need to be that stringent? Do the boundaries really need to be in the region of 60 metres? There is an obvious need for a better balance between bat and ball.
At the end of the competition, the organisers, the owners and the participating players will have left the UAE with the feeling that their mission was accomplished.
The sponsors got their air time as the cameras continually focused on them, the team owners were also on television on a regular basis and allowed to promote their brands without any sign of inhibition, and the players earned handsome rewards for a few days of work. The wealthy sponsors also threw in gold bars for the team owners, captains and players.
Whether this tournament is a one-off or the start of a long journey, what is clear is that 10-over cricket has huge potential. It must be within the realms of possibility that 10-over domestic tournaments become a regular feature and, if that happens, there is a good chance that cricket boards worldwide will promote it to a fully-fledged international format.
The early signs are promising for T10 - those that once doubted the popularity of 20-over cricket should be reminded it is now incredibly prominent everywhere. T10 could head in the same direction.
