The Ashes is coming up this year, and so too is the Cricket World Cup.
But the roaring success of the Indian Premier League means its 16th season is anticipated on a similar level to those totemic events on the cricket calendar.
And why not? There is no greater franchise competition in cricket, featuring star names from across the globe playing to vast crowds and huge television audiences.
A measure of the boom in IPL popularity came when its broadcast rights were sold in the wake of last year's tournament, with five-year deals bringing in 48,390.5 crore (£4.8billion), testament to the tournament's enormous appeal.
Among leagues worldwide, only the NFL is said to have bigger per-game TV deals, with the spectacle of T20 cricket becoming a big winner with spectators, sponsors, broadcasters and advertisers.
Heading into the 2023 season, which begins on Friday with an eye-catching tussle between defending champions Gujarat Titans and 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings, Stats Perform has identified potential key storylines for the new campaign.
How can Buttler follow his MVP season?
Jos Buttler had a staggering campaign last time out for Rajasthan Royals, hitting 863 runs in 17 innings at an average of 57.53, with four centuries to his name. That was as many centuries as everyone else in the IPL combined managed to score.
He finished 247 runs ahead of KL Rahul, who was second on the batting list. Buttler cracked 83 fours and 45 sixes, and he has since been appointed England's white-ball captain.
This is a huge year for Buttler, with England defending their title at the World Cup, and all eyes will be on the 32-year-old to see how he contributes for the Royals.
Chris Gayle, in 2011 and 2012, is the only batter to have finished as top scorer in consecutive IPL seasons.
This is a league that brings explosive moments, and Australian bowler Pat Cummins surprisingly managed the fastest fifty with the bat last year, achieving the feat from 14 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians.
With the ball, Buttler's Rajasthan team-mate Yuzvendra Chahal took a league-leading 27 wickets, at an average of 19.51 and with a 7.75 economy rate. He was the only bowler to take a hat-trick in the 2022 IPL, doing so against KKR.
The economy rate king was two-time former MVP Sunil Narine, who gave up an average of 5.57 runs in his 56 overs, albeit taking just a modest nine wickets.
CSK seek immediate statement win
Gujarat were champions in their debut season last time around, while defending champions Chennai finished a miserable ninth out of 10 teams.
This time CSK are determined to start strongly and banish memories of 2022, and one way or another it promises to be a memorable campaign.
It appears likely to be MS Dhoni's final IPL campaign, with the 41-year-old giant of the game and former India captain reportedly considering whether to call time on his illustrious playing career.
Dhoni would want to go out on a high, and in the hope of building a winning team CSK have taken an expensive plunge by bringing in England Test captain Ben Stokes.
There are suggestions Stokes could inherit Dhoni's talisman status at CSK, although there has been an early blow with the all-rounder not expected to bowl in the early stages of the tournament due to concern over his left knee.
CSK suffered another setback to their bowling department when they lost New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson to a back injury, replacing him with South Africa paceman Sisanda Magala.
Could pulling the Short straw work out well for Punjab Kings?
Jonny Bairstow would have been lining up for Punjab Kings, but a freak golf course injury continues to keep the England wicketkeeper-batter out of action.
In his place comes Australian Matthew Short, who has yet to play international cricket or feature in the IPL, but the 27-year-old is experiencing quite a moment in his career.
Short was player of the tournament in Australia's Big Bash League, the domestic T20 competition, when he scored 458 runs for Adelaide Strikers and became just the third player in 12 seasons to hit 400 runs and take 10 wickets in a single season.
He will fancy stepping up to IPL level and continuing his rich run of form, and joins a franchise that has seen significant change since finishing sixth last year. Punjab have a new captain and new coach, with Shikhar Dhawan and Trevor Bayliss replacing Mayank Agarwal and Anil Kumble.
PBKS will hope Short makes a long-lasting impact, while they are trusting a huge investment in Sam Curran pays off after making the England all-rounder the most expensive player in IPL history, landing him in the draft for 18.5 Cr (£1.85million).
Changes across the board
A year is a long time in the IPL, and there have been a host of new appointments.
Australian veteran and IPL master blaster David Warner has taken over as captain of Delhi Capitals due to Rishabh Pant being ruled out while he recovers from the major car accident he experienced in December.
Brendon McCullum's move to coach England means Kolkata needed a new man in charge, and they have brought in Chandrakant Pandit, while Brian Lara has taken over from Tom Moody with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mark Boucher will pull the strings with Mumbai Indians after Mahela Jayawardene became global head of performance.
Barbados Pride soar into CG United Super50 final after commanding 153-run win over T&T Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the CG United Super50 Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season and reached their last final in 2017-18—into contention for their seventh title.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs)
After being sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers, Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher, laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer's 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer, and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point. The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the daunting total.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early and never recovered. The only bright spot in their reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After Webster’s dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday.
Finish well: Andre Coley eyes redemption, momentum as Windies gear up for Bangladesh Test
West Indies Head coach Andre Coley is exuding quiet confidence as his team prepares for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
With the matches—scheduled for November 22-26 in Antigua and November 30 to December 4 in Kingston—marking the final home series in the current World Test Championship cycle, Coley is determined to see the Caribbean side end the year on a high note after recent setbacks.
The West Indies are coming off a disappointing tour of South Africa, where they failed to capitalize on key moments and eventually lost that two-match series 1-0 after the first game ended in a draw. Reflecting on those matches, Coley stressed the importance of learning from the past and seizing the opportunity to close out this series on a strong note.
“Coming off the disappointment of the South Africa series, we put ourselves in a position to close out that series, and we didn’t. So the opportunity is there for us to do so against Bangladesh now, and it is very important for us to come up with a winning result on home soil,” Coley said in a pre-series interview.
“We’ve always had exciting and challenging series against Bangladesh, and this series offers a chance to create momentum as we head into tougher assignments in Australia and Pakistan,” he added.
Coley and his team, which includes players from the regional 50-over tournament and recent white-ball series, are currently in Antigua fine-tuning preparations ahead of Friday’s first day.
Despite initial weather disruptions, Coley pointed out that the team has had productive sessions, with all players fit and ready for action.
While West Indies boast a strong home record against Bangladesh, Coley is keen to keep his squad grounded. He recognizes the challenges posed by Bangladesh and the added intrigue of familiar faces on the opposition side, including Bangladesh Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, a figure Coley knows well.
“Each match brings a different opportunity. We have players who’ve been successful against Bangladesh, both home and away, but we also have some new players who wouldn’t have played in any of those series. So it’s an opportunity for senior players and emerging players to show what they are capable of and what we are capable of as a team,” Coley noted.
The series against Bangladesh serves as a vital stepping stone beyond the larger context of the World Test Championship, as West Indies sit at the foot of the standings in ninth on 20 points.
Still, with four matches left in the cycle, Coley is focused on building a cohesive unit capable of competing at the highest level.
“This series is about putting everything together from the last year and a half and ending the year in good form,” he declared.
That said, the Jamaican highlighted the importance of fan support, especially during the festive season. Cricket remains a unifying force in the Caribbean, and Coley hopes that fans will rally behind the team.
“I know that the West Indian fans really want us to do well and have been supportive in their own way because cricket means a lot to the region and the fans are very passionate about the game. Despite the nature of our squad, emerging and experienced players, everyone in the squad wants to do well, so I want to encourage the fans to come out and support us and give us that extra boost of encouragement at home,” Coley ended.
Global Super League announces schedule change ahead of 2024 Tournament
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has announced a schedule adjustment ahead of its inaugural tournament, which is set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The final will now be held on Friday, 6 December 2024, while the match between Hampshire Hawks and Victoria has been rescheduled to 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
The tournament, featuring five teams—Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria—kicks off on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the GSL, explained that the schedule changes were made in consultation with Cricket West Indies to avoid potential clashes with preparations for the West Indies' ODI series against Bangladesh.
“While the squads for the West Indies ODI series against Bangladesh have not yet been announced, we wanted to ensure that there was no chance of a clash between the conclusion of the GSL and the preparations for that series,” Lloyd said. “This decision has been made after discussions with Cricket West Indies to ensure the integrity of both the West Indies vs Bangladesh series and the GSL.”
Ticket holders for the affected matches can still use their existing tickets for entry. Those unable to attend the rescheduled games will be eligible for a full refund.
Revised Schedule for the 2024 Global Super League
26 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars
27 November, 7:00 PM: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders
29 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria
30 November, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars
1 December, 10:00 AM: Rangpur Riders vs Victoria
1 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks
3 December, 7:00 PM: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars
4 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders
5 December, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria
5 December, 7:00 PM: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders
6 December, 7:00 PM: Final – First Place vs Second Place
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
