Caribbean Premier League beats IPL for massive cricket innovation

Tallawahs Captain Rovman Powell on the go.  CPL 2020
Tallawahs Captain Rovman Powell on the go.
CPL 2020

As T20 franchise tournaments continue to compete to be the best in the world, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has come up with a “massive innovation” that beats Indian Premier League (IPL), according to Republicworld.com. 

It said on March 27 that ever since India announced their successful professional Twenty-20 leagues in the form of the IPL in 2008, several other countries have launched their own leagues. 

The Republic said some of the other famous flagship twenty-20 leagues include Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the CPL. 

“With all countries competing to have the best flagship league, the CPL has beaten IPL in this massive cricket innovation,” it said. 

The Republic said the Hero Caribbean Premier League has gone virtual with the launch of a new Esports gaming series, the Hero CPL Esports League. 

In this series, the Republic said professional cricketers from around the world will play Cricket 19, the leading cricket console game. 

“This is the first time a T20 franchise tournament has had an Esports competition, featuring cricketers representing their franchises,” the Republic said. “With continuous innovations, the Hero CPL is adamant to find new ways of engaging its fans.”

The Republic said the CPL Esports League, which was expected to be released this week, “will bring the reality of T20 cricket to fans. 

“However, this time it will have a significant difference as players will be controlling virtual versions of themselves and also all of their teammates,” the Republic said. 

It said the players taking part include Colin Munro (Trinbago Knight Riders), Mitchell Santer (Barbados Tridents), Andre Fletcher and Kesrick Williams (St. Lucia Zouks), Sheldon Cottrell and Ish Sodhi (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Nicholas Pooran and Ashmead Nedd (Guyana Amazon Warriors), and Glen Phillips and Ryan Persaud (Jamaica Tallawahs).

“This series will give Hero CPL fans and gamers alike the opportunity to get behind their favorite players and teams once again as they take on their rivals in this groundbreaking gaming format,” the said CPL in a statement. “They will be able to see and hear the passion these players have when they are competing, with a controller in their hands, rather than a bat and ball.”

But while the CPL is coming up with new innovations, the Republic said “Indians are gearing up for the 14th edition of the IPL.”

IPL 2021 began at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday, April 9. 

The Republic said 56 league matches will be played across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata before the playoffs and final in Ahmedabad. 

With limited cities hosting IPL 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all matches will be played at neutral venues, the Republic said.