Bilateral Series Need to End

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Pakistan and New Zealand are soon going to play 5 ODIs and 5T20s against each other. The 5 ODIs are not part of the ODI Super League nor are they part of any other ICC Event, and obviously, the 5 T20s have no relation to any qualification or tournaments. Since the Indian Premier League (IPL) is being played at the same time as this New Zealand tour of Pakistan, New Zealand is not even playing a full strength team. In other words, these 5ODIs and 5T20s is going to be (perhaps) the most meaningless 10-match tour in recent times.

But the thing is these 10 matches didn't, and shouldn't, have been organised in the first place, known as "Bilateral Series". I have big issues with cricketing Boards organising their own series, that have no relevance except extra profit, which consideration for the bad effect it has for cricket. If it was up to me, Bilateral Series wont be allowed to be organised by cricketing boards, rather the ICC will create a schedule (through their already familiar FTP) where there is not a single Bilateral Test Series, not a single Bilateral ODI match, and no Bilateral T20 Series.

First, I would like to highlight the issues with Bilateral Series:

1. It ruins the balance of Teams Playing Each other within an appropriate 1.5 - 2 year time scale

For me, Teams should be touring and playing each other in an approximate time scale of once every 2 years. This time scale allows for a great amount of anticipation for the series between the two teams, and 2 years keeps the matchup between the two teams rare (I hope people understand what I am trying to say). One Matchup that has overall been following this time scale well (on the most part) is Pakistan vs Australia;

2016 (- 2017, Early): Pakistan Tour of Australia - 3 Test Matches & 5 ODIs

2018: Australia Tour of Pakistan - 2 Test Matches & 3 T20is
2018: Pakistan, Australia (And Zimbabwe) - T20i Tri Series

2019 (Early): Australia Tour of Pakistan - 5 ODIs
2019 (Late): Pakistan Tour of Australia - 2 Test Matches & 3 T20is

2022: Australia Tour of Pakistan - 3 Test Matches, 3 ODIs & 1 T20i

So as you can see, all these tours haven't been spaced out to exactly 1.5 - 2 years, but overall, the tours are reasonably spaced out and they don't play each other every year. Although they did play some matches in 2017, but I don't really count that as a major 2017 specific series series since it was at the very beginning fo the year and the tour did start in 2016. I hope you get the point.

But now lets have a look at other series between two teams, that have been organised way too much;

Australia vs India;
- 2016 - 5 ODIs & 3 T20is
- One Year Later; 4 Test Matches
- Seven Months Later; 5ODIs & 3T20is
- The Next Year; 3T20is, 4 Test Matches, 3ODIs
- Literally The Very Next Month... 2T20is & 5ODIs
- Less Than One Year Later; 3ODIs
- Later on in the year where the 3ODIs were played... 3ODIs, 3 Test Matches & 3T20is
- One Year Later (2022) till 2023 - 3 T20is, 4 Test Matches, 3ODIs

The Balance is just thrown out of the Window!

Pakistan and England too have played each other every single year since 2016, apart from 2017 (If I remember correctly).

Similarly, Pakistan and New Zealand have organised too many Bilateral series with each other too many times since 2016.

Yes, lets not ignore the big reason as to why Huge amounts of Bilateral series are being organised, that being making a smart move by organising the more entertaining series and getting more profit. But, talking from a cricketing entertainment perspective, this is only a short term solution for the circketing boards organising these series, but a horrible consequence in the long term. Because if these types of series where the same teams are playing each other again and again are happening, there will be way too much repetitiveness, leading to matches being too boring, and we all know the rest. In fact this has been happening for a while now. Honestly, what I am saying is so simple, yet ICC hasn't realised this and hasn't taken any measures to prevent this. ICC perhaps doesn't realise this because every time these Bilateral series are played, since the population of India is massive and there will always be people to watch such useless cricket series, which gives them this false impression that there are no problems, which is false, however this is just a suggestion.


2. It is completely meaningless

Once again; Bilateral Series have no meaning. In Sports Watching ,events, tournaments, sports, leagues etc. with a poor competition, and/ or no irrelevance are extremely difficult for the huge majority of people. This must be emphasised on a regular basis especially for cricket, because of what I always say;

Cricket in itself is a very complicated confusing and boring and unexciting sport for the huge majority of people. So Cricket needs to be as simple as possible in every aspect. And Bilateral series brings a whole layer of being useless, therefore confusing. Nothing else needs to be said, seriously, the things I am saying are so simple.


Solutions;

I don't just want to criticise and all that, I always want to provide my solution. Basically, I want the readers for his to understand that the aim of my solutions is to be simple, and to make cricket and more simple sport. I repeat, I believe my solutions are simple and easy;

Test Cricket & Test Bilaterals:
Easy - From Now on, every Test Match must be apart of the World Test Championship. So No more Bilateral Test Series can be organised from anyone.
Just have a think about it. Its just so confusing, unnecessary and stupid to be having Test matches that aren't part of the World Test Championship and Test Matches that are part fo the World Test Championship.

ODI Cricket & ODI Bilateral Series:

Again Easy and Smooth - Every ODI match, every ODI series must be apart of the ODI World Championship. What is the ODI World Championship you may ask (Well I hope at least one person is asking lol)? Basically, if I get enough time and motivation, I will post another thread or post on what I think about having an ODI World Championship.

T20i Cricket & T20 Bilateral Series:
Now the issue I see here is the cricketing boards make profit (unlike ODI and Test) from playing big T20i series, 5 or 7 T20i series. But despite this profit, having 5 t20is or 7 is just too much repetitiveness, leading to boringness and meaningless cricket, and a declining interest in long term. So what I will do is that T20i series can no longer be organised. Yes, not even a 2-match T20i series. Teams can only play each other in a one-match T20i 'Friendly', which is to be played between two teams twice within a four year cycle (one of the T20i matches (lets say Pakistan vs Ireland) in the Pakistans Home venue, & The other T20i friendly match in Irelands home venue). Its basically like Football Friendlies, in International Football, nations don't play a 5match or 3match or 7match series of football matches against each other, its just one or two friendlies in the four year cycle. The purpose of allowing team to only play a T20i match against each other twice within a four year cycle is this will keep the T20 matches, and the ambition, excitement of the T20i match at an extremely high level.

 

[sam_ahm]

I agree with most of your points, and this is what I said earlier that we need to have structured tours only once in 4 years, so that any two teams play each other once in 2 years home and away.

Organizing these random bilaterals have killed the context of these series'. Add to that an unbelievable number of Franchise leagues means that most of the time teams are not playing full strength sides in these series'.

 

[Markhor]

Fantastic post. I agree with everything except abolishing T20 bilateral series - these should fit into a T20 World Championship which forms the basis for WC Qualification.

One of the reasons behind the popularity of T20 leagues is that the stakes are clear. It's an easy to follow tournament structure with a group phase, knockouts and a final. In the business end of a T20 tournament, every ball could be a difference maker.

These random international series outside the WTC or ODI Super League meanwhile are totally devoid of context or stakes. Win or lose, what does it matter ? How do you attract an audience for something where the result is irrelevant ?

And if Wasim Khan is reading this - STOP this ridiculous practice of segmented tours. That means if PAK tours ENG - schedule Tests AND white ball series together. Not this nonsense of playing Tests one year, then return the following year for ODIs and T20s.

 

[Rana]

Pakistan need to come to a resolution with BCCI and get their players in the IPL. Simple as

Everything would look great then

 

[Rana]

[MENTION=76058]cricketjoshila[/MENTION]

What issues would BCCI or Indian government have if Pakistan players pay their income tax from IPL earnings to Indian government or a mutually agreed charity instead of the Pakistan government?

 

[sweep_shot]

Get rid of T20 bilateral series. Players already play a lot of T20s in various leagues. No need for these extra games which can cause fatigues and even injuries.

Also, get rid of Asia Cup and CT. Just keep the 3 World Cups (Test, T20, and ODI) and qualifiers.

 

[Slim]

I find domestic cricket abhorrent and it always will be lower quality than international cricket. If IPL was so good, India would have won multiple worldcups by now. If PSL was so good, they wouldnt have lost against Afghanistan.

 

[BDfanforever]

Pak plays way too many T20s. They just got off 3 match T20 against Afg. I can understand 5 match ODI as it is WC year.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Fantastic post. I agree with everything except abolishing T20 bilateral series - these should fit into a T20 World Championship which forms the basis for WC Qualification.

One of the reasons behind the popularity of T20 leagues is that the stakes are clear. It's an easy to follow tournament structure with a group phase, knockouts and a final. In the business end of a T20 tournament, every ball could be a difference maker.

These random international series outside the WTC or ODI Super League meanwhile are totally devoid of context or stakes. Win or lose, what does it matter ? How do you attract an audience for something where the result is irrelevant ?

And if Wasim Khan is reading this - STOP this ridiculous practice of segmented tours. That means if PAK tours ENG - schedule Tests AND white ball series together. Not this nonsense of playing Tests one year, then return the following year for ODIs and T20s.

I really don't get what ICC even does to try and make cricket a better sport to watch, as you said having ODI series that aren't part of the ODI super league and then at the same there are ODI series part of the Super League is so confusing and annoying not only for regular cricket fans but especially for new fans. Then in WTC, everyone doesn't play everyone, same thing there are and aren't test series part of the WTC.

 

[ads101]

Bigger issue is a lot of domestic cricket is meaningless. We want cricketers to grind in domestic, yet most don't want to watch. Often the stands are empty. It means cricketers are just playing in front of empty stands which create no money. This is why it is difficult to compete with sports like football, basketball etc. when every match is important.

It's the reason why I think T20s will be the only format in the future. It's the only format which is not a struggle to monetize both domestic and international. Cricket could easily follow a structure like football with season long franchise T20 cricket, with breaks for international tournaments (and some international friendly bilateral series). In that structure I'm sure every game would be meaningful. With three formats, it's just impossible. It's the same way in the past, when tests were the only format, people were more interested in domestic cricket too not just internationals. Three formats also most likely vastly dilutes the quality of cricketers, not allowing cricketers to specialise.

 

[MenInG]

I think this whole fuss would die down if India and Pakistan played often - then suddenly we would all like bilateral series!

 

[Arabian_Tiger]

I think this whole fuss would die down if India and Pakistan played often - then suddenly we would all like bilateral series!

But if only two particular teams playing against each other generate interest in a certain format then dragging that format isnt wise or the format needs a shake up..

 

[Rana]

I think this whole fuss would die down if India and Pakistan played often - then suddenly we would all like bilateral series!

Exactly

And if our boys play IPL. We need to come to a resolution with BCCI and Indian Gov

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

I think this whole fuss would die down if India and Pakistan played often - then suddenly we would all like bilateral series!

Although I have made this thread during the IPL where no Pakistani players can participate in, this thread refers to all Bilateral Series in General. Every ODI and Every single test match needs to have a meaning, for example be part of a championship. Because these two formats are on their death beds basically, and so ODI and Test matches without a relevant context are way too difficult to watch for most people, and in recent years often leads to financial losses, lets also add the fact that teams are regularly playing their B, C teams for these types of series too, as pointed out by [MENTION=132440]sam_ahm[/MENTION].

T20 Bilateral matches are exciting to watch for the general population even if they are irrelevant simply because T20 is the only valuable format, its an exciting format and the future of cricket.

 

[Slim]

Exactly

And if our boys play IPL. We need to come to a resolution with BCCI and Indian Gov

I dont want Pakistan to play IPL. Theres zero benefit to Pakistan.