ICC eyes expanded control over T20 franchise leagues: Here's why
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is looking to expand its control over T20 franchise leagues. The move comes as the governing body tries to strike a balance between the impact of these leagues on cricket's integrity and its calendar. If approved, the proposals could have a major impact on the sustainability of several leagues, including the UAE's ILT20 and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US.
Meeting agenda
Proposed changes in player caps
The ICC's franchise leagues review group, formed in July, will be discussing these recommendations at a quarterly meeting in Bali this weekend.
The proposals include ensuring compliance with current regulations on overseas player caps in an XI.
This could hit ILT20 and MLC the hardest as both leagues heavily rely on foreign players for their teams.
Sponsorship restrictions
Restricting sponsorships in leagues
The ICC is also looking to restrict sponsorships in leagues by betting companies or their surrogates.
This is aimed at preventing bets from being placed by customers in countries where betting is illegal.
Another proposal suggests that a league should only be sanctioned if it commits to using the ICC's anti-corruption unit or one approved by the ICC.
Sanction fee
Proposed fee for league sanctioning
The ICC has also proposed charging a fee to provide sanction for a league. This would be in addition to the existing requirements and could be used to fund outsourced due diligence checks or any subsequent corruption investigations.
The review group, led by former Bangladesh opener and current Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Tamim Iqbal, includes Richard Gould (CEO ECB), Todd Greenberg (CEO CA), and Devajit Saikia (secretary BCCI).
Integrity concerns
Integrity concerns and oversight
The ICC has also recommended that a league should only be given sanction if it is using the ICC's ACU for the league or another integrity unit approved by the ICC.
This comes as more reports of approaches made to players on the league circuit are being received now than in international cricket.
The proposals are aimed at addressing these integrity concerns and ensuring greater oversight over the league landscape.