The 50 overs format of cricket is facing "serious threat" from Twenty20 version of the game and may not survive in the long run, says Chris Cairns.
PANCHKULA: The 50 overs format of cricket is facing "serious threat" from Twenty20 version of the game and may not survive in the long run, says former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns.
"I think T20 will surely supercede the 50 over game," said Cairns, who will play for Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League's T20 venture starting here from November 30.
"The 50-over game is under fire from the more popular Twenty20 version. As ICC has the committment to hold the next world cup in the 50-over format, but after that happens, the version of the game may find itself difficult to survive," he told while giving tips to the budding players at Tau Devi Lal stadium.
Cairns, however, said Test cricket was the ultimate Test for any player and faced no threat from T20 version.
He said ICL was holding the tournament despite all odds and players who had signed for it had taken a "brave decision".
The 37-year-old cricketer hoped that "better sense will prevail" and players would not be penalised by their respective boards for playing in the ICL.
Cairns, who was acompanied by Reetinder Singh Sodhi, spent close to two hours with budding cricketers at the nets.
"By interacting with other international players who are going to give them valuable tips, these players will surely learn both on field and off-field as well," the Kiwi player said.
Cairns also lamented the "dearth of genuine all rounders these days like himself, Kapil Dev or Wasim Akram".
On New Zealand team, he said it was going through a transitional phase and it would take them about two years before young talent can reach a level when they can put up some consistent performances.
Sodhi, meanwhile, said it was a dream to play alongside great players.
"Moreover, the young talent will get good exposure which they could not have imagined earlier had this tournament not taken off," he said.
Sondhi said that after the completion of the T20 tournament, ICL plans to hold a 50 over tournament sometime in March next year and follow it up with a 4-day game as well.
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