On Sunday night, as the die-hard Guyana Amazon Warriors fans were, once again, wallowing in the bitter agony of losing in the final of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), for the sixth time in the 12-season history of the event, former Guyanese and West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd announced the launch of a new T20 competition, the Global Super League (GSL).
“I’d like to welcome cricket fans from around the world to this new exciting event. The passion for cricket in Guyana rivals that of fans anywhere, and we look forward to celebrating our love of the game and our rich and vibrant country with both those visiting in person and watching from around the world,” Sir Clive, who is the Chairman of the Global Super League, was quoted as saying in a GSL media release dated 6th October.
“The Global Super League has the full support of the Government of Guyana as we build a world class sports tourism product,” the release quoted President Irfaan Ali as saying. “Cricket is part of our cultural history, it is that unifying force, part of our heritage and an integral part of our strategic objective in economic diversification with a strong emphasis on tourism.”
According to the GSL statement, the event has been sanctioned by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Government of Guyana will be a key stakeholder in the tournament. The tournament, which will run from November 26 to December 7, will witness the Guyana Amazon Warriors and four other established teams from T20 leagues from around the world, competing for the astronomical sum of US$1 million.
“The event will feature a mini league of 11 [should read ten] matches, with each team playing four matches with the top two teams progressing to the final [the eleventh game]. All matches will take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, with the event set to take place annually featuring different teams from around the world being invited to take part each season,” the press release further stated.
The announcement has drawn much attention and interest from sports media around the globe. On Monday, BBC Sport reported, “Three-time T20 Blast (a Twenty20 competition for English and Welsh professional teams) champions Hampshire are believed to be one of five sides invited to compete in new T20 tournament the Global Super League.” In the same article, the media outlet stated, “It is also of BBC Radio Solent’s understanding that South African franchise the Titans are set to appear in the tournament.”
According to CricFrenzy.com, a media outlet in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fortune Barsihal, last year’s champions of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), have received an invitation to participate in the GSL but have declined. However, the news outlet added, Bangladesh Cricket Board Chairman Faruque Ahmed has confirmed that “Rangpur Riders, one of the semi-finalists of last year’s event are likely to participate in the new franchise tournament.”
ESPNCricinfo has noted that the new league will clash with the Abu Dhabi T10, slated to be held from November 21 to December 2, and will also overlap with Bangladesh’s tour of the Caribbean, specifically with the two Test matches. The First Test is scheduled to begin on 22nd November in Antigua, while the Second Test is slated for the 30th November, in Jamaica.
As much as the announcement has attracted a lot of attention, it has spawned a spate of questions. First and foremost, of course, is the source of the funds for the enormous prize money. When this publication reached out to Peter Miller of the GSL on Monday with regard to the source(s) of the prize money, he stated that the sponsor will be confirmed in “due course”. The GSL release stated that “the Government of Guyana will be a key stakeholder in the tournament.” Who are the other stakeholders in this bacchanal which has made a grand pronouncement, and yet, cannot declare the sponsor(s)? It appears as though the GSL has placed the cart before the horse in this instance. Are the other sponsors large corporations? Or, are they private individual investors? Or, is it the Guyana government, now rolling in the oil dollars of our new found wealth, showboating? If the last is the case, how does the general population feel about this display of grandeur which has been proudly proclaimed as a future annual soiree? Do we really need to host yet another T20 tournament after having been the host for the last three CPL finals? Surely, these vital funds can be channelled into a developmental venture which is more beneficial to the entire population?
On what grounds can CWI justify endorsing a tournament of this nature when it clashes with a Test series which is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025? Or, is this confirmation from CWI that they are throwing in the towel for this event with the West Indies firmly entrenched at the bottom of the nine-team table? Couldn’t CWI have pleaded the case that this huge unnecessary outlay of funds would be better invested in future youth tournaments, or much needed facilities, such as the improvement of pitches throughout the region, as opposed to simply pouring it into the pockets of a handful cricketers? Of course, ventures such as pitches bring no centre stage for the high and mighty to thump their chests as live telecasts are beamed around the world during 11 matches from the National Stadium.
The occasion of Halloween is the midpoint between the announcement and the commencement
of this Global Super League, and, hopefully by then, we will have figured out who is the major sponsor and whether this spectacle is a trick or a treat for the people of Guyana. Is the tournament just a simple diversion from the present conditions, or of things to come? Or, a treat to serve as a launch pad for something else, such as the General Elections? Of course, time will reveal the true motive behind this grand scheme. Let’s hope the lights will remain on throughout this showcase.