Richard Gould confirms Champions League T20 will be back as the World Club Championship: Reports

After more than ten years since the last Champions League T20 (CLT20) took place, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is investigating the feasibility of a redesigned World Club Championship for T20 cricket. In the final CLT20 tournament, which was held in Bengaluru in 2014, CSK defeated KKR. Beginning in 2009, the competition ended in 2014.

England (The Hundred), South Africa (SA20), the United Arab Emirates (ILT20), and the United States (MLC) are among the nations that have started their franchise leagues in recent years. Other sports have also seen the emergence of new team-based leagues, such as Rugby Union, preparing to introduce their own Club World Cup, and FIFA is revamping the Club World Cup. Although the plans are still in the early stages, the ECB is interested in introducing a tournament similar to CLT20.

"That is on the cards," Gould said. "Without doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship - for both men and women. That's the next logical step. I believe that the Club Championship, for both men and women, could be the next logical step for the evolution of the sport," board chief executive Richard Gould told ESPNcricinfo.

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Gould believes the competition was a great event

In addition to its commercial component, the BCCI, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa ran the CLT20. The tournament's organizers cited its small public following as the primary cause of its demise. "That tournament was ahead of its time," he said. "Commercially, it couldn't keep up with the expectations on it, but it was a really good event."

Nonetheless, Gould believes the competition was a great event and ahead of its time.  Eight of the ten IPL franchises will need to sponsor the World Club Championship since they have stakes in teams abroad. The BCCI may investigate the Club Championship if it would add value to the game, as IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal has suggested.

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