Its T20, where every one is equal

After the grand treat of T20 cricket in IPL, its time for some more serious stuff. The rules remains same, however the loyalties now shift towards the country instead of the franchise. World T20 did not start with a bang as was the case for IPL, but the results of the first match could be summarized on similar lines i.e. in three hours who plays best is the supreme without any regards to History. I won't say that Netherlands performance yesterday was a sheer luck as they bowled superbly only to follow it up with even better batting. Today Australia were thrashed by Chris Gayle in a manner even Bangladesh would feel bad about.

The point i want to make here is that the shortest the format of the game, lesser the monopoly. The way 8 senior test playing countries dominate in test cricket (Bangladesh is yet to win a test match against any of them), they fail to match in ODIs. ODI world cup 2007 was a prime example, where India and Pakistan were ousted by minnows. I hope the shortest format of the game will provide even more level field to the so called minnows, and that will be good for the future of the game as well as for the level of competition. For the past 12 years or so, world cricket in both Test as well as ODI format was dominated by Aussies, but I don't see any such thing happening in the T20s (Even though I would have loved to see India dominate in T20 as world stage every time). Aussies anyways are done with their dominance with departure of their great players (who still manage to dominate T20s in IPL), and others who follow them have failed to be consistent as Aussies used to be.

I am great fan of tests because of the level of skill it requires to win a test match as compared to any other format of the game, however for the same reasons I love T20s as there its just a matter of 40 odd overs and the best during those three hours emerges as the winner. Bangladesh can manage to dominate in a session or two of a test, but not for 6-8 which it takes to win a test. Now compare the time it takes for a session of Test game with the length of a T20 game. The team which can control the game 10-15 overs of the total 40 can look to win a game and sometimes even a lesser team can dominate 25-30 overs as it happened in WI vs Aus game.

I am happy for India, that they are looking great but this greatness will be put to tougher tests in future, and I can only hope that they don't meet New Zealand in the knockout stage (well i know history doesn't matter in T20s but sometimes I am a bit superstitious as I can't find any other reason as to why they always loose to NZ in T20s)