In 1975, the Indian Cricket Board used to pay a fee of 2500 rupees to the players of Team India to play a Test match. Then came ODI cricket and in 1983 we became champions in the third World Cup. You will be surprised to know that when our players came back to India after becoming champions, BCCI did not have money to give to its players. Then Lata Mangeshkar did a show for the team and the money that came was given to the players.
Earnings increased after the 1983 World Cup, but even then the BCCI had to pay a fee of Rs 5 lakh to Doordarshan to show a match of India on TV. Barring Australia and England, almost all the cricket boards around the world had a similar situation.
Re-entry into the Olympics will be possible
The biggest sporting event in the world is the Olympics. It also includes sports like football and basketball, but cricket is not getting a place. Cricket was included for the first and last time in the Summer Olympics in Paris in 1900. Then cricket was not included because it required a lot of time to complete its matches. Also, a few countries used to play cricket.
The picture changed with the advent of the T20. With the passage of time, it reached about 100 countries. The ICC is trying its best to get cricket back in the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, USA. West Indies and America are hosting the T20 World Cup together in 2024.
Matches will also be played in Los Angeles. That is, before the 2028 Olympics, the necessary infrastructure for cricket will be ready there. The International Olympic Committee has also shown a positive attitude towards the re-entry of cricket so far.
Access of cricket to more countries
The popularity of the T20 format has increased the reach of this game. The first test match was played in 1877. Even after 145 years of its inception, so far only 12 countries have been able to play in this format. The scope expanded a bit from ODIs, but T20 revolutionized itself.
The shorter the format in cricket, the greater the chances of a turnaround. In a game of 20-20 overs, even the weaker teams are expected to win. Therefore, this format was adopted by many countries in a very short time.
