2023-2031 FTP news, updates, etc

[ZIMDOGGY]

It's shocking how little we play SA considering how easy the trip is.

Getting a little tired of always playing AFG, IRE and the like.

Im surprised they dont play an annual test match between each other, for no other reason than it gives SA a chance to black their team up for the annual quota forces.

[TapsC2]

I just think the South Africans don't take us seriously. I think we have only run them close maybe 1 game in the last 15 or so years. Almost every other time they completely bash us. Half our main team was getting beaten by the A side. We lost that test in 2 days. They probably just don't see the point.

[TapsC2]

Funny thing is our u19 side which suffered the mankad absolutely bashed theirs but look at them now. They had Verreynne, Mulder and Sipamla. You had Ngarava getting Verreynne for a duck.

There is just something wrong with our progression. You just look at Wes or Shumba who in their defence were 15 at the time but you still look and wonder if they could score 136 against New Zealand

[Kriterion_BD]

20 Tests is 5 a year. That's a decent amount. Afghanistan have 21 scheduled. Both these teams have played just 2-3 per year at most the past 4 year cycle, so it's doubling the number of Tests they play. I know the Afghans won't cancel any games. If ZC is out of debt, they should be able to fulfill all their commitments as well.

Ireland are only playing 12 Tests, with 10 of those away. Unfortunately, because they might actually be a decent Test team at the moment.

[secretzimbo]

Don’t get too excited guys. We had 21 Tests scheduled in the 2018-22 FTP. We only played 12 in the end….

A lot of the fixtures in this FTP probably won’t be honoured, especially so as we see international cricket crumble over the next few years. Whether bilateral white ball cricket even exists for full members in 2027 is debatable - thats how rapidly the landscape is changing. Even in the past 2-3 months there has been rapid change in the global franchise model. 5 years is a long time...

For Zim, this FTP is okay I suppose - could have been worse - but theres very few exciting fixtures in there. I really don’t care about playing Ireland or Afghanistan, and Bangladesh isn’t a whole lot better. Our tests with SA/NZ/WI are all at home too. No interesting away tours. Still no England. Nothing with India. The fact SA don’t play us every year is a disgrace.

Global cricket is rotten, but fine, if the same 4 countries want to keep playing each other relentlessly on an almost non-stop basis, with absolutely no context or jeopardy, then fine…..Then they’ll all scratch their heads and wonder why international cricket dies and can’t stay relevant.

[Kriterion_BD]

I really don’t care about playing Ireland or Afghanistan, and Bangladesh isn’t a whole lot better. Our tests with SA/NZ/WI are all at home too. No interesting away tours. Still no England. Nothing with India. The fact SA don’t play us every year is a disgrace.

Strange sentiment I guess. Personally, I feel different but still EQUAL amounts of excitement when Bangladesh plays the likes of ZIM/IRE/AFG. There are many reasons, and I'm sure the increased probability of winning plays a role in that. But its more about getting to watch teams that otherwise "fly under the radar". I usually follow most if not all of Zimbabwe's international matches (in large part because of ZCF), but I only see Ireland or Afghanistan if they play against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe. There's a novelty factor about watching Ireland and Afghanistan that doesn't exist with any other teams, precisely because they are the newest entrants to Full Membership.

But tell me honestly, you didn't enjoy the hell out of the last BD-ZIM series? From a long term, cricketing perspective its probably just a blip on the radar. But in the moment, that had to have been a hell of a series where you come back from top order collapses to chase 300 and seal a series win.

[Kriterion_BD]

I hope that ZC will treat the current FTP better than the last one, and have the intent to follow through with all their international committments (mostly regarding those 20 Test matches).

[sam_ahm]

International cricket ain't going anywhere. It is these leagues that will start closing down, one by one.

[sloandog]

Think you're being incredibly naive there Sam. These leagues won't only increase, but they will last longer. The profit these countries make from these leagues is extra ordinary and the genie, as they say, is well and truly out of the bottle. That's what's worrying. Test cricket will remain and i think T20 cricket will over take ODI's around 2027.

[Kriterion_BD]

Think you're being incredibly naive there Sam. These leagues won't only increase, but they will last longer. The profit these countries make from these leagues is extra ordinary and the genie, as they say, is well and truly out of the bottle. That's what's worrying. Test cricket will remain and i think T20 cricket will over take ODI's around 2027.

Are there really people who watch these leagues? I simply don't understand the phenomenon. Like Mujeeb if he's playing in BBL, IPL, ILt20, and CSA league...how can any fans in any country identify with him or the teams? I just don't understand the appeal. Like eventually shouldn't fans realize its pointless, stop watching, and then the leagues and broadcasters start losing money?

If all the money is coming from India, and the BCCI doesn't allow any Indian players to play in leagues outside the IPL, where is all the viewership and interest coming from?