Twenty20 cricket is a strange beast when it comes to the sport as a whole. Some view it as breathing new life into cricket, bringing in a new generation of fans who otherwise may not have been interested. Others are concerned that this shortened form of the game is a threat to the traditional longer formats, and is changing cricket too much.
My own personal view is that Twenty20 is the future of cricket but classic variants, such as Test cricket, have nothing to be worried about. Especially when you consider the amazing Ashes series that we’ve just witnessed this summer.
Anyway I digress. Twenty20 is the thrilling form of cricket that’s only been around for a decade, and it makes for the ideal companion to a number of different cruises. Whether you’re looking at a voyage in the Indian subcontinent, or something based around Australasia, or a tropical getaway to the Caribbean islands, you can time a voyage to sail just before or after a series and extend your holiday with a land stay that includes tickets to matches.
Firstly let’s examine the history of the format. Back in 2002, there were a few concerns about the state of one-day cricket, as there were a number of similar competitions being played. Then, when a ban on advertising tobacco firms was introduced, the Benson & Hedges Cup had not only lost popularity but also its sponsor, so it drew to a close.
Twenty20 was something new – a much shorter version of the game with a maximum of only 20 overs bowled by each side, which could be completed in just three hours. The first tournament, the Twenty20 Cup, was played in 2003, making 2013 the ten-year anniversary of the sport.
So England created the sport, and the current world champions are the West Indies. So what could be better than a luxury Caribbean escape, while you watch these two heavyweights slug it out in a warm up series before the next tournament, which will be held in Bangladesh? If only there was a six star cruise company offering such a deal…
Oh, wait. There is.
By Ian Lewis
Google