ICC trying to ensure co-existence of all three formats: Richardson

The growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket has thrown the future of Test cricket in doubt, but International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Dave Richardson said on Monday that the game's world governing body is trying to ensure that all three formats co-exist.

The mushrooming of a plethora of Twenty20 leagues around the world, especially the hugely popular and cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) has prompted fears that players and spectators may give more importance to the shortest version of the game at the cost of Test cricket.

"Twenty20 cricket is to globalise the game. We are trying a lot of things to position the three formats. The ICC board has even agreed to review the bilateral cricketing structure keeping this in mind," Richardson told reporters here on Monday.

Richardson also asserted that the ICC is trying to ensure that the World Twenty20 championship, which starts on Tuesday, is free of the menace of corruption and match-fixing.

"I am very confident we will have clean tournament. Our Anti-Corruption and Security Unit is working hand in hand with Indian law enforcement agencies to provide a clean tournament," the former South Africa wicket-keeper said.

"Besides all the teams and players have also been briefed because often we get our intelligence from players," he added.

Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption unit had claimed on Sunday that an international team was under investigation for corruption. Richardson however, refused to speculate on the matter.

"We shouldn't speculate. It is not fair to speculate that team or players involved. It is unfair to speculate whether the team is part of upcoming World Twenty20. The case is under investigation. But we need to ensure all players should be educated," he said.