In the ever-changing landscape of cricket, the world of cricket is witnessing almost non-stop T20 cricket every other day. ICC has sanctioned multiple leagues in the last couple of years in the form of SA20 & ILT20, as their purpose is to take the game ahead. World Cricketer’s Association report (WCA), though, believes that International cricket is fading away. The WCA report has received feedback from 64 senior cricketers whose names aren’t disclosed.
WCA report’s synopsis
WCA Chairman Heath Mills pointed out that there are significant issues with the structuring of cricket. WCA wants a separate 4 dedicated windows of 21 days for international fixtures in which there will be no franchise league taking place, which as of now looks a long distant dream.
“This process has brought to light an almost game wide appetite for change and a need to address the significant issues with the game’s global structure. Whilst there is no silver bullet, the report defines the trends and major issues facing the sport at global level, along with some recommended solutions, intended to be both aspirational and realistic. The players have an interest in the health of the game globally, and we look forward to discussing and debating the report over the coming months,”
Franchise leagues domination
Just when December begins, we witness BBL, SA20, ILT20, BPL, Super Smash, and in all this leagues, there is Australian summer & New Zealand summer as well & other international matches being scheduled. Cricketers are openly rejecting central contract without any fear and happy to be freelancers and it may be because they don’t want any obligation from the board from which they started playing cricket.
Now ECB who already has their T20 tournament in the form of Vitality T20 Blast where some overseas players take part in it, still they have another league in form of Hundred. The question raises who is at the fault, ECB or ICC as all these leagues are being sanctioned by the governing body. Saudi Arabia has proposed a multi billion dollar T20 league and this talks are going on since last 2-3 years and undoubtedly something is brewing up.
Cricketers no longer interested in playing for nation?
We often say West Indies cricketers have become freelancers. If we look at the last 2-3 years, New Zealand’s Trent Boult, James Neesham & Tim Seifert rejected central contracts to pursue franchise cricket. Kane Williamson & Devon Conway (*opted for casual contract).
Undoubtedly, money has become important for cricketers rather than playing for country and slowly & steadily the other cricket fraternity is also taking that route. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock was requested by CSA to participate in T20 WC 2024 & even after that, head coach Rob Walter insisted a couple of times on Quinton de Kock to have a word and come back to the national team, but he can be seen playing franchise cricket.
During South Africa vs Afghanistan ODI & T20I series in 2024 September, David Miller & Tabraiz Shamsi & Keshav Maharaj weren’t available due to CPL commitments. It really raises a question is a player/s above the game & the country? There are many such instances where perhaps we can say that cricketers are doing a favor by playing for the country.
What lies ahead for cricket
Cricketing icons Michael Holding, Ian Chappell & David Lloyd, Sir Andy Roberts have bashed the ICC for not running the game and have stated that board members decide which series will be played when & where. It’s quite perplexing to see how cricket has become centric to the richest board.
“As solutions, WCA projects a more optimal calendar (with windows and greater context) could result in an additional USD 246 million revenue for the game annually. It calls for the establishment of minimum and maximum distribution parameters of ICC revenues, giving as an example, “a minimum 2% and maximum 10% for the top 24 countries, and a minimum 10% distribution collectively for countries 25+.” That would see the BCCI’s share being cut from 38.5% in the current model to 10%.”
We all are very much aware of BCCI’s share in World Cricket which is 38.5%. There’s no doubt that the majority of market comes from India, but it may sound harsh, the game is not expanding, nations like the Netherlands, Scotland, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda & many others aren’t getting the funds. There are only 12 full member nations in cricket despite the first WC played in 1975. ICC ODI WC 2007 was the last tournament where 16 teams participated in the ODI WC.
Many would argue we witnessed 20 team T20 WC 2024 but the scheduling of matches was blatantly adjusted for Indian audience & matches to get viewership, which was said by former CWI CEO Johnny Grave.
Is the game really going ahead or we are just have got addicted to T20 leagues in which almost other league there’s a IPL franchise involved in it. The game of cricket has become entertainment where spectators want to watch boundaries every other deliveries just like a play or movie where there’s action and thrill. It’s up to former cricketers & ICC to really bring back the old charm of bilateral and find a middle ground with franchise cricket else there might be severe overdose of T20 cricket which now has started.