How ICC Killed the World T20 Hen

No sooner is one championship over, the next edition begins—why would anyone be interested in who wins?

World Twenty20, a hen that lays golden eggs, is in a serious condition, latest reports from the West Indies say. In the past a life-saving drug called India saved several members of the ICC family. Without India, in fact, there would be no ICC. But this time, there is no India anymore to save the hen.

The police has charged the ICC (Inter-national Cricket Council) and its accomplices in television and advertising for extreme cruelty to animals. “It is an open and shut case of near murder of an innocent animal,” the police statement said. “The motive of the offenders was greed. They overburdened the hen, making it work at whimsical intervals.”

The ICC genetically created World Twenty20 in 2007 in South Africa. It delivered a record number of golden eggs, thanks to India. The tournament captured the imagination of fans (and chicken). India played electrifying cricket to defeat, among others, England, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team was honoured with a parade through the streets of Mumbai. Thousands of humans and some feathered friends lined the roads. 

But instead of being thankful to the kind, productive hen, the ICC and its allies allowed themselves to be overcome by greed. With the ongoing World Twenty20, it has forced the hen to deliver eggs just nine months after the second edition, held in England last June. Shahid Afridi, who captained Pakistan to the title, said that they had hardly enjoyed the trophy when it was time to defend it. 

One reason for this is genuine. The 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai led to the cancellation of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which in turn triggered far-reaching changes in international cricket itineraries. But equally true is the fact that the ICC’s billion-dollar deal with ESPN Star Sports makes it mandatory to conduct one of the following three events every year: the 50-over World Cup, the Champions Trophy or the World Twenty20. Place has to be made for a tournament even when it is not in the interest of the game to do so. 

The tepid response to the second edition in England could be blamed entirely on India’s loss. This time, even when India was still in contention, interest was lukewarm. With the IPL still a recent memory, people are suffering from cricket indigestion. 

Pronouncing the ICC guilty of attempting to kill the hen, the judge stressed the need to maintain the prestige of tournaments by conducting them at long intervals. He gave the example of the Olympics and the football World Cup, which are held every four years. 

Standing in the witness box, the ICC showed no remorse.

cricketICCTwenty20