The International Cricket Council (ICC) is moving towards tighter regulation of T20 franchise cricket as the rapid expansion of leagues around the world raises concerns about corruption, player availability, sponsorship practices and the future of international cricket.
The ICC's latest proposals, which are expected to be discussed by cricket administrators at the governing body’s upcoming board meeting in Bali, represent a significant attempt to strengthen its authority over a rapidly growing segment of the sport.
A Franchise League Review Group, established in July 2026, has put forward recommendations aimed at improving oversight and establishing more consistent standards across competitions.
Among the proposals is an expansion of the ICC's authority to review or audit approvals granted by full-member cricket boards to domestic franchise leagues. Under the existing system, member boards generally have the power to sanction competitions within their territories. The proposed changes could allow the ICC to intervene, withdraw approval or reject a league if serious regulatory or integrity concerns arise.
Andre Russell for LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket (MLC)
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the cancellation of the scheduled women's Test match against the West Indies during England's planned tour of the Caribbean in April 2027. The tour's white-ball structure, however, remains unchanged, with three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals still set to go ahead.
The ECB’s decision to remove the Test comes as they finalize preparation for their 2027 home Women's Ashes against Australia, which is set to begin with a four-day Test.
The England hierarchy believes that additional red-ball preparation in familiar home conditions will give the players a better chance to compete against Australia, thus shortening the Caribbean tour to slot in practice matches back in their homeland.
"The ECB is grateful to Cricket West Indies for agreeing to its request, and for the understanding and collaborative approach taken in these discussions," the board said in a statement.
West Indies 356 & 398 for 6 dec. (Hodge 142, Wickham 78; Nayeem 2-72) drew against Bangladesh 386 & 184 for 4 (Hridoy 82, Mushfiqur 49; Warrican 3-44)
West Indies’ draw against Bangladesh in the second Sylhet Test gave them a 1-0 series win, courtesy of their eight-wicket victory in Mirpur. Their win over Sri Lanka, along with the draw against Pakistan, means this is the first time since 1994 the Caribbean side will end the year unbeaten in Test series.
Roston Chase’s men began the World Test Championship cycle with an eight-game winless streak, losing seven matches. Their opponents during that period were Australia, India, and New Zealand.
“Yeah, well, we had a tough year in the first year of the cycle. And we sat down, and we spoke about coming to dominate the second year in the cycle. Playing against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and also Bangladesh, we thought that these were teams that were closer to our skill level and obviously closer to us in the rankings. So we wanted to challenge ourselves in terms of winning all three series. We won two out of three,” Chase began explaining.
“So we thought that it was a good year, and also we went unbeaten in any series. So this is something that hasn't been done for a number of years. So it just goes to show that when you sit down and plan, and you put in the hard work, anything is achievable. So I think that we are going in the right direction as a unit and as a team,” he added.
West Indies 356 and 345 for 3 (Hodge 140*, Wickham 78, Taijul 2-118) lead Bangladesh 386 (Hridoy 242*, Mushfiqur 34, Warrican 4-104) by 315 runs
Windies scored 338 runs and lost three wickets on Day 4
Kavem Hodge’s magnificent unbeaten 140 has put the West Indies back in the driver’s seat heading into the final day of the Sylhet Test. The Caribbean side got to stumps on 345 for three, an already significant lead of 315 runs.
Towhid Hridoy’s 242 not out on Day 3 had demoralising potential for the West Indies. Instead, the visitors batted in brilliant partnerships, scoring 338 runs on a day they lost just the three wickets, ensuring they regained the upper hand at close of play on Day 4.
The fightback was led by a timely 165-run stand between Hodge and Kevin Wickham for the third wicket. The pair came together just before Lunch and batted through the entirety of a second session, taking the sting out of the Bangladeshi attack.
They added 131 runs post-lunch, getting to the break at 259 for two. After a nervous start against Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, Hodge found his rhythm via a mini counter-attack late in the morning session before settling down upon the resumption.
Matthew Forde, Amir Jangoo, and Mandy Mangru headline Cricket West Indies’ international contracts list for the 2026–27 season, with all three earning their first retainers.
John Campbell returns to the list, as Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Romario Shepherd, and Qiana Joseph miss out.
Fifteen men have once again been contracted, with the women’s list increasing from thirteen to match that number. All contracts, including the three development men's contracts, will run from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
“Every one of these contracts is tied to a job in front of us,” said CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe. “For the men, the first job is the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in February, and we go there with every intention of making it through. For the women, it is the Pakistan ODIs in December, which give us the chance to earn automatic qualification for the next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Matthew, Amir, and Mandy have earned their places in that work, and John has earned his way back.”
