World body to discuss T20 talent drain in Kolkata
MUMBAI: In its next meeting in Kolkata in April, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will consider changes that will help cricket boards — prime example being the West Indies — address the issue of talent drain due to mushrooming of T20 leagues. It is a known fact that the further decline of West Indies has taken place simultaneously with the rise of T20 leagues, as Caribbean players are always in high demand and available to play.
But their success is not reflected on international level. Two-time World Cup winning West Indies are currently taking part in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, but several big players are playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
According to The Guardian, the ICC will look to restrict players under the age of 32 to three domestic T20 franchise leagues per year, make regional T20 windows to carve out six months per year for international cricket, and make the leagues pay 20 per cent of a player’s value to the home board.
This money, the report added, could be used for development of the sport at the grassroots level. The ICC is also expected to discuss the number of foreign players in each T20 tournament.
The report added that while West Indies have been the worst hit, countries like England and Australia support their sentiment. West Indies’ assessment regarding talent drain is scary, as it says by the time a player reaches international level, USD 1 million are spent on him.