ICC plans tighter control over T20 leagues, proposes four overseas player limit and stricter anti-corruption rules

The ICC is weighing new rules for franchise leagues, including a four-overseas-player limit and expanded oversight of league approvals.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to exercise greater control over T20 franchise leagues across the world, with a set of proposed regulatory changes potentially affecting the operations and commercial viability of competitions such as the UAE's ILT20 and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States, reported Cricinfo.

Jay Shah, chairman of ICC. (AFP)

The recommendations, put forward by the ICC's franchise leagues review group, will be discussed by cricket board heads and chief executives at the governing body's quarterly meetings in Bali this weekend. If approved, the proposals could significantly reshape the global franchise cricket landscape by expanding the ICC's oversight of league operations, player participation, sponsorship and anti-corruption measures, according to Cricinfo.

One of the key recommendations is to enforce the existing overseas player restrictions more strictly, with a proposed limit of four overseas players in a playing XI. The move could particularly affect the ILT20 and MLC, both of which were granted exemptions when the ICC introduced player capping regulations in 2023.

The ILT20 currently permits up to nine overseas players in its playing XI, including at least one player from an Associate Member nation, while MLC allows up to six overseas players. A reduction to four could force both competitions to rely more heavily on locally developed players from the UAE and the United States, potentially affecting their competitive balance and commercial appeal.

The two leagues also have significant links with Indian franchise cricket, with five of the six ILT20 franchises having ownership connections with IPL or WPL teams, while four MLC franchises are linked to IPL ownership groups.

According to the recommendations, the ICC also wants to expand its jurisdiction to review or audit sanctions granted to franchise leagues by Full Member boards. Under the existing framework, Full Members have the authority to sanction domestic leagues in their territories, while leagues organised by Associate Members require additional ICC approval.

The proposed changes would allow the ICC to intervene if a Full Member fails to meet its obligations while approving a league. The governing body could even reject an application or withdraw an existing sanction if serious integrity concerns emerge.

The review group has also recommended restricting sponsorship deals involving betting companies or their surrogate brands, particularly those that facilitate betting in countries where gambling is prohibited.

The proposal states: "This would address the threat posed by the growth of illegal betting (namely betting on unregulated markets or in countries where betting is illegal). Such sponsorship exposes host Members to the risk of facilitating illegal betting in cricket, which carries the potential for increased corruption, and raises clear ethical and governance questions for the sport."

Another major recommendation concerns anti-corruption oversight, with leagues required to use the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) or an integrity body approved by the governing body as a condition for receiving sanction.

For competitions considered to carry a high corruption risk, the ICC's ACU could be engaged, with the expenses borne by the league organisers on a not-for-profit basis. However, if adequate safeguards cannot be established, the application could be rejected.

The review group has also proposed introducing a fee for sanctioning franchise leagues, with the revenue potentially being used to fund due diligence checks and corruption investigations.

The recommendations come amid growing concerns over integrity issues, ownership changes and payment disputes across the expanding franchise cricket circuit. The review group has highlighted inconsistencies in the existing approval process, arguing that more stringent requirements are needed before leagues receive domestic sanction.

"At the moment, the Regulations do not provide any detailed conditions which must be satisfied by a domestic league and different approaches are therefore taken in the various Member territories," the paper reads.

"A more detailed structure should be put in place (through the Regulations) setting out the conditions that a franchise league would need to satisfy before it could obtain a domestic sanction."

The review group, headed by former Bangladesh opener and current Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Tamim Iqbal, also includes England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Richard Gould, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

Apart from the primary recommendations, the group has flagged several other matters for further discussion, including standardising solidarity payments made by leagues to the cricket boards of overseas players participating in their competitions.

Currently, the amount is negotiated between the respective boards, a process that has occasionally resulted in disputes. The group has suggested considering a uniform fee, potentially calculated as a fixed percentage, across leagues and players.

The status of legends leagues has also been raised, with the review group expressing concerns about competitions involving retired players and their potential overlap with approved cricket involving active players.

It has also called for discussions on whether individual ICC members should face restrictions on the number of franchise leagues they can host, citing the importance of protecting international cricket's role in developing and promoting the sport globally.

The ICC's chief executives' committee (CEC) will deliberate on the recommendations and forward relevant proposals to the ICC Board for approval, potentially setting the stage for a significant overhaul of regulations governing T20 franchise cricket.