Cricket has been getting shorter and more entertaining for the masses ever since T20 cricket was introduced. With 20-20 paving the way to new horizons, organizers are looking for new ways to make the sport shorter and even more entertaining.
With the same goal in mind, Cricket West Indies and Caribbean Premier League have come up with ‘The 6ixty’ tournament. The new format would be a 10-over game but with many new twists. Below are the rule changes that this format would bring to normal cricket.
- Six wickets rather than ten.
- Teams can bowl five consecutive overs from each end without changing ends.
- The batting team can ‘unlock’ a third powerplay by hitting two sixes in the first two overs.
- Slow-over rate could take away a fielder in the last over.
- Fans can vote for a mystery-free hit.
The 6ixty will be held from August 24th to August 28th just before the Caribbean Premier League starts.
The organizers are also aware of the eyebrows that this format has raised and have been explaining the need for it to naysayers.
Talking to ESPN Cricinfo, the CPL CEO Pete Russel said, “You’re going to get some people saying ‘this isn’t cricket’ but my view is that cricket is the most important element of it It’s just about trying to generate excitement and interest. It’s like what’s going on with golf right now – you have to look at things through a different lens sometimes. This is about a new audience. We’re very much going after the younger generation.”
The CPL plans to organize 6ixty, four times a year which includes organizing it on foreign soil as well.
Explaining the same Russel said, “We plan to do four a year, that’s the starting point. Potentially, you’d like to have three in the Caribbean and one elsewhere. We’d like to play one internationally somewhere: if I could the 6ixty to Vegas, that would be a dream ticket.”
The 6ixty has come as surprise to many and there is quite a buzz for the striking format. Let’s look at how Twitter reacted to the 6ixty
New tournament, new rules. Here is The Universe Boss @henrygayle to take you through how THE 6IXTY takes the excitement to another level and you even closer to the action. #The6ixty #CricketsPowerGame #6ixtyCricket #CPL22 pic.twitter.com/zAED15rCH4
— THE 6IXTY (@6ixtycricket) June 22, 2022
Some lauded the 6ixty as the evolution of cricket.
Abu Dhabi T10 has normal cricket rules. The Sixty seems more for fun.
— Rohit Gajaria (@GajariaRohit) June 22, 2022
Test -> one day -> T20 -> T10 -> The Hundred -> and now The SIXTY with new rules#Cricket evolution!
— Rana Ghosal (@ranaaissance) June 22, 2022
Cricket must be the Number One sport in the world. There are more versions of it than any other sport. #sixty60
— Tim Dale Lace (@Tim32_cricket) June 22, 2022
Some however were also apprehensive of how the new format would fare.
Cricket is game of everything, we are in a era where the importance of the game is just becoming fun, is sixty sort of power game will justify the legacy of the great game just asking? pic.twitter.com/26fjnvdagi
— M@LLIK TEJ ANUMULA (@MallikAnumula) June 23, 2022
Only time will tell what the future hold, but
