"The principal reason T20 has been so successful is more lifestyle than sporting: before it, cricket took a long time, now it doesn't and, as attention-spans shorten while the cost of living increases and relative wages decrease, it suits more of the people more of the time. But there's solid middle-based rationale too: T20 can be settled by one individual having a day out, or a few swinging hard and hitting well for the not very much time it takes to turn a contest."
"England v West Indies is one of the classic T20 matchups, principally because of the 2016 edition of this competition. Understandably, that final assault ruined Ben Stokes' career; he was never the same after that. I wrote the below first thing this morning, but the point was emphasised by what happened in the Afghanistan v South Africa match, one of the most ludicrously brilliant you could wish to see. If you don't know how it went, catch yourself up here, immediately; promise promise."
T20 cricket's success stems from its short duration suiting modern lifestyles and economic pressures. The format rewards individual brilliance and brief collective hitting, making matches fast and volatile. Wealthier cricket nations' increasing remoteness amplifies the format's significance. The volatility of T20 almost produced an upset for England against Nepal and poses additional challenges when facing teams like the West Indies. The Afghanistan v South Africa match exemplified how T20 can produce ludicrously brilliant, unpredictable finishes. Historic T20 moments, such as the 2016 England v West Indies encounter, can have lasting effects on players' careers.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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