International Cricket Struggles as T20 Nomads Chase White Ball Gold

Fri, May 25, '18

Asian nations are clamping down on the number of Twenty20 leagues players can compete in as global cricket chiefs struggle to regulate the format's phenomenal rise.

But with stars like West Indies batsman Chris Gayle and England's Ben Stokes making fortunes in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia's Big Bash League and other Twenty20 tournaments around the world, players are likely to resist any attempt to impose restrictions, their union says.

In recent weeks, the Pakistan Cricket Board has told contracted players they can take part in only two Twenty20 leagues a year, one of which must be the Pakistan Super League.

Bangladesh allows its players to compete in only two foreign leagues, and participation in domestic first-class tournaments is also mandatory.

The West Indies suffers most from the multi-billion dollar global Twenty20 circus and wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to restrict players' mobility and for national boards to get a cut of their Twenty20 earnings.