With the increasing number of T20 leagues around the world, the game’s governing body is reportedly looking to enforce a three-league cap on players.
The majority of Full Members have given an in-principle nod to capping player participation to no more than three T20 leagues a year, reported ESPNCricinfo.
“Both the chief executives committee (CEC) and the ICC Board have discussed the issue at the annual conference in Dublin over the weekend and a broad consensus has emerged that if players are allowed to participate in any number of leagues it will start affecting international bilateral cricket,” the report stated. “Although both the CEC and Board were in favour of putting a cap on as soon as manageable, a final decision is only expected at the October round of ICC meetings.”
The report goes on to add that FICA (Federation of International Cricketers’ Association) and various player associations “has made it amply clear putting a cap on player movement amounts to a restraint of trade.”
This comes on the heels of another report, which said that the Pakistan Cricket Board will restrict it’s players to just two leagues per year. A new No-Objection Certificate policy has been formed that limits their centrally-contracted players to playing only two leagues per season. With Pakistan Super League already in place, this would mean most Pakistan players can just be part of one other league.
Apart from the IPL and Big Bash League, the current cricket calendar consists of PSL, Caribbean Premier League, England’s T20 blast and Bangladesh Premier League apart from a new league kicking off later in South Africa. Apart from these main tournaments, there are leagues coming up in Dubai and Norway as well, to add to the ongoing Global T20 Canada, where the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner and Sunil Narine are all involved.
The move is likely to hit West Indian cricketers the most as they are the most popular presence among the many global leagues. ICC is also reportedly considering making the process of obtaining necessary permissions for hosting these in Associate Nations tougher.
Read the full report here.