Cricket’s Pressing Issues: T20 Leagues Concern, Afghanistan Situation And Afro-Asia Cup In The Balance

With a pivotal chair election in the backdrop, the next International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting amid T20 World Cup fever in Melbourne will contain several pressing issues.

Rise of T20 Franchise Leagues

Much like at July’s Annual Conference, where it sparked furious long-winded debate, the sprouting of lucrative T20 franchise leagues and how they impact on an already cramped international calendar is set to be a major talking point.

There was contemplation of an ICC working group being formed, according to sources, in a bid to provide some type of clarity on what lies ahead for a sport that appears in the midst of being upended, though it’s unclear if it will be established.

Board directors and also those on the Chief Executives Committee were asked to contemplate ideas to bring to the table for November’s meeting in a bid to quell concern that franchise T20 cricket will start eroding the quality of international cricket. National governing bodies are increasingly feeling the strain of retaining their best players lured by high salaries and short playing stints at these T20 leagues.

There was considerable debate in Birmingham over the UAE’s
UAE
International League T20, where teams might potentially field nine overseas players compared to the commonly accepted four foreigners per side rule in established T20 franchise leagues.

Pakistan Cricket Board boss Ramiz Raja was a particularly vocal critic back then, but believed the “floor is still open for debate”. “We were the first to ask what is the strategy regarding this,” Raja told me. “I know Australia and England are keen to have a debate. We will have a good session on what to do.

“We need to be up to par at how leagues are set up…and how do these leagues look after fan engagement.”

In an interview with me last month, Emirates Cricket boss Mubashshir Usmani dismissed concern over teams potentially boasting just two locals, believing the number of overseas players in a side is “arbitrary”.

Usmani had been left frustrated over the years of its Full Membership ambitions being stymied by strict ICC criteria and reluctance from Full Members to play UAE in bilaterals, forcing smaller cricket nations to find alternate revenue streams resulting in shiny, new T20 franchise leagues.

Everyone seems to think there is urgency with the issue, which appears to be headed towards a tipping point, but amongst some directors, there was an unknown over what could actually be done and who held the responsibility.

“There has to be a balance in cricket bilaterals, ICC events and the T20 leagues. The issue is who brings this balance?” an ICC board director told me.

“Is it the member countries? The ICC? Who moderates what is happening in world cricket? It’s not just the leagues, the FTP… for some it is lucrative, others don’t have much.

“Nations agree not to play against some nations, so that leads to leagues popping up.

“How do we deal with this?”

Update on Afghanistan situation expected

The ICC board is set to receive another update on the Afghanistan issue, where there remains an unknown over the state of women’s cricket amid oppressive Taliban regime.

The ICC set up a working group to find out more but details on what is actually happening on the ground level have been rather murky. Development and pathway structures for women’s cricket are meant to be part of strict criteria for Full Membership.

But all along there has been no appetite to revoke Afghanistan’s Full Membership, which they received in 2017 on the proviso that women’s cricket would be developed. Their men’s team have proven a cult fan favourite and become a positive symbol for their war-torn country, but there remains an uneasiness over what might be the death knell for women’s cricket.

Australia, who canned a home Test last year with Afghanistan, and independent board director Indra Nooyi, have voiced concern in previous board meetings, according to sources.

“Afghanistan will be a slow momentum driver, can’t change the cultural aspect overnight,” Ramiz, who is on the working group, told me. “The idea is to work with them and make sure the men’s team is in shape.”

Afro-Asia Cup to be determined, Asia Cups will be annual affairs

As I first reported in June, a revival of the Afro-Asia Cup – which was played in 2005 and 2007 – had been in the works and if the proposal came to life would see cricketers from bitter foes India and Pakistan playing on the same team.

The rebranded Asian Cricket Council has been hoping for a T20 series to be played in mid-2023 but an ACC meeting ahead of the ICC’s get together is set to determine its fate.

But it doesn’t have total backing. “I’m not personally in favor of Afro-Asia Cup,” Ramiz told me. “We need to look after the Asia bloc and mature the contest before inviting other boards from other regions.

“We have the financial model, it’s just we want to see how to shape up ACC and the Asia Cup.”

After a recently successful Asia Cup in the UAE, marked by two much hyped India-Pakistan clashes, momentum has built for the event to be played annually interchanging between T20 and ODI formats.

With political tension sadly negating India and Pakistan bilaterals, the ACC has the means to stage this contest more often through the Asia Cup which traditionally was played biennially.

Reaping in the financial windfall of its marquee contest, which was milked to such a degree in the UAE that India and Pakistan were guaranteed playing each other twice though no one was complaining, the ACC is hoping to funnel funds back to the grassroots, women’s and junior cricket across the region

It appears the power brokers in the region, most importantly India and Pakistan, are united in making the Asia Cup an annual contest, which should be ratified soon.

Pakistan hosts next year’s edition.