The International Cricket Council (ICC) is inspired by Indian Premier League (IPL). To preserve Test and the diminishing status of international cricket, ICC is all set to introduce two new rules for franchise leagues. The international cricket body will restrict franchises to have only four foreign players in the match-day squad. Furthermore, ICC is also going to mandate payment to cricket boards from franchises for signing foreign players. International League T20 (ILT20) and Major League Cricket (MLC) have provisions of 9 and 6 foreign players in Playing XIs.
As the likes of Jason Roy and Trent Boult have ignored national team contracts to play in franchise leagues, the ICC is all set to ratify the two major decisions at a meeting in Dubai next month.
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As per The Telegraph, UK, report, the ICC is concerned with another discussion of a T20 league in Saudi Arabia. Hence, the ICC has decided to follow the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and limit foreign players in the Playing XI of tournaments supported by full-member associations.
The restriction will help reduce the risk of players retiring from international cricket and becoming mercenary cricketers, playing for multiple franchises in a calendar year.
However, as UAE and the USA are not full members of the ICC, both will not be part of the mandate. Both ILT20 and MLC can continue with as many foreign players as they want.
While there have been demands from IPL franchises to increase the number of foreign players in Playing XI, it will now be put to rest. With mushrooming franchise leagues across the globe, ICC feels the heat. As a number of players are either moving towards retirement or ignoring national team selection for big-money franchise cricket, ICC feels restricting them could benefit cricket boards.
ICC: Pay commission to cricket boards
The other significant development is a commission to national cricket boards. The BCCI set the tone long ago by paying 10% fee to countries in exchange for NOC for players. The ICC is going to mandate all franchises tournaments pay 10% of the value of the players to their respective boards.
For example, if Andre Russell plays in Pakistan Super League and ILT20, PCB and Emirates Cricket Board will have to shell out 10% each to Cricket West Indies.
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