Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced plans to formalize a strategic partnership with NCL Canada Inc. (NCL), the current owner and operator of Canada’s Global T20 league (GT20). A statement from CWI said the alliance would be “focused on the development and growth of the Global T20 tournament and its supporting ecosystem in North America and the Caribbean.”

The collaboration includes the possibility of CWI taking an ownership stake in the league, as well as the acquisition of a franchise within the competition, along with “broader commercial opportunities.”

Both organizations are exploring avenues to facilitate the participation of Canadian teams in future CWI tournaments, further enhancing competitive opportunities and cross-regional engagement. CWI’s High-Performance Centre, which is set to be constructed in Antigua, would also be made available to Canadian players for training.

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This looks like a great initiative and I truly hope that something comes out of it. I also think that in light of the recent Latin American competition, CWI should be negotiating to have breakout league teams participate in that tournament to give some more exposure to younger players

This is a really bad direction for WI cricket. I have watched a few games in this league, extremely low standards, very small grounds. There is no benefit to our players, no opportunity to enhance their game.

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It’s hard to read this agreement as anything but another example of CWI management’s chronic short-sightedness. A long-term alliance with Canada’s Global T20 doesn’t project confidence or strategy; it feels more like a grasp at relevance in a landscape they’ve struggled to shape.

For years, CWI enjoyed the ICC’s backing as the standard-bearer for cricket in the Americas. That kind of institutional advantage should have been a springboard. Instead, it became a missed opportunity, one that now looms large as others step into the vacuum.

The growing influence of Indian investors in the CPL, alongside the rise of American franchise cricket in immigrant-heavy cities, underscores how quickly control of the game’s direction has shifted. These developments aren’t happening in isolation; they’re filling the space CWI left unattended.

And the results are difficult to ignore. The ICC rankings, once a source of pride, now read like a slow decline. Teams that once looked up to the West Indies have moved past them, while the regional side struggles to recapture even a fraction of its former excellence. What remains is a team that too often looks disjointed and underwhelming, a far cry from the standard it once set for the world.

Sarge

Good idea to form alliances with fellow associate members