Next week, as part of the ICC Annual Conference, the Chief Executives Committee (CEC) of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet in Durban. The creation of regulations for the increasing number of franchise-based Twenty20 contests is one of the main subjects on the CEC agenda. An election will be held to choose three Associate Members for the chief executives body prior to the CEC meeting on July 11.
After a working group meeting in London last month, the conversation over T20 leagues has gained traction. The group made suggestions in response to issues brought up by national boards, particularly Cricket West Indies and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), about the effect of T20 leagues on player availability. The effects of competitions like the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US and the ILT20 in the UAE, which have drawn many international players, are particularly concerning. Although the ICC has given these leagues authority, it will be difficult for it to reverse any judgments. The English and West Indies boards have mandated limitations on the number of foreign players in these leagues, both active and retired, be no more than four. Additionally, they advocate for every board to pay a player’s home board 10% of his fee.
It is unlikely that retroactive limitations will be implemented given the significant expenditures made by numerous parties, broadcasters, and well-known franchise owners. But according to people with knowledge of the situation, there might be certain rules established for upcoming leagues. In this aspect, the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) attitude, which rejects any ICC interference in domestic competitions, is significant. It is also possible that the plan may be flatly rejected.
The examination of commercial rights prospects in global fantasy gaming is one of the other subjects on the agenda. The ICC wants to standardize fantasy gaming and may declare that all gaming related to cricket must go through the international organization. Given that the ICC only has jurisdiction over international events, the viability of such a move is still unclear. If it can take over as the central authority for non-ICC cricket gambling, that remains to be seen.
The CEC meeting will also cover the Decision Review System (DRS) and the playing conditions for the 2019 World Test Championship cycle. What criteria the CEC will have to accept, meanwhile, is unknown given that the current WTC cycle has already started.
Although it will be discussed during the annual conference, the revenue share model of ICC revenue is not on the CEC agenda. The board will speak directly to this issue.
