Premier Badminton League: Organisers introduce 11-point system to suit broadcasters

Courtesy Twitter (@PBLIndiaLive)

New Delhi: The Indian version of franchise-badminton leagues, Premier Badminton League, is all set for its third season with big names including Carolina Marin, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal all set to reinvent rivalries but in a shorter-format of the game.

In a bid to suit broadcasters and attract more crowd, the organisers have decided to cut the usual 21-point system to just 11. It means that the game durations would be shorter and more exciting which will probably make players put in a more aggressive style of play as compared to what they usually display.

Last season, the PBL had tweaked the scoring format to 15 points and three games in a bid to accommodate five different matches over a short time but now have further cut it down 11 points in its third edition. With the T20 cricket seemingly worked well to match interests of young generation, organisers believe a similar style might work for badminton too.

Earlier, the Indian badminton fraternity had raised voice against Badminton World Federation’s proposal of changing the format to five sets of 11 points, but now India’s own PBL, will feature the system after broadcaster and sponsor Star had requested it.

Prakash Padukone, the first Indian to win the All England Championship title, has also backed the idea stating the move will be an exciting experiment as it will add uncertainty to the matches and draw in more spectators.

"It will be an exciting experiment. In the 11-point scoring system, anybody can win the match. There will be a lot of uncertainty, that will bring more spectators to the stadium and more viewership," Padukone told PTI in Bengaluru in an interview.

Padukone's statements came in after shuttlers Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu welcomed the shorter version of the scoring system.

Saina recently had said it would be interesting to see how it pans out, but the games will get over quickly as points are less.

Sindhu, the Rio Olympics silver-medallist, believes that the system will force players to be on alert and focus from the first point itself.

The PBL kicks-off with a highly anticipated match between Rio Olympics 2016 finalists PV Sindhu and Carolina Marin on January 1, 2016.

(With PTI inputs)