ICC to limit overseas players at T20 franchise leagues: report

In a bid to curb the growing influence of franchise cricket leagues, the International Cricket Council is set to introduce two changes, including placing a limit on the number of overseas players franchises can sign. 

The UK’s Telegraph reported that in addition to restricting the number of overseas players, leagues would be requited to pay the national boards for each player they sign. 

The ICC intends to impose a limit of four overseas players in a starting XI, which will not impact most of the existing leagues, like the Indian Premier League and the Lanka Premier League, who already have that limit in place. 

It would however, impact the United Arab Emirates’ International League T20 tournament, that allows as many as nine overseas players per team, and the soon to be inaugurated Major League Cricket tournament in the United States, that would allow six per starting XI. 

The other change would mean franchise leagues would need to give national boards 10 per cent of the fee they will pay each player, an arrangement already in place in the Indian Premier League. 

It is thought that the changes, that would restrict opportunities to play in franchise league, would dissuade players from retiring from international cricket to play in franchise league, a move England’s Jason Roy made last month. 

It is proposed that the limit of overseas players will only apply to players from the 12 Full Members, potentially allowing leagues in emerging countries to create extra slots for Associate players.