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The league said its six teams have finalised contracting players through the “directly acquire players” option

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2022Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran are the latest big names from the Caribbean to sign up for the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20), along with Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka, England’s Ollie Pope and Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi.The league also said that its six franchises – owned by Reliance Industries, Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital, and Adani Sportsline – have finalised contracting players through the “directly acquire players” option, though the details of who has gone to which team is not yet known.Related

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Some of the other latest signings up for the ILT20 are: Will Smeed, Rehan Ahmed, Jordan Thompson, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Bas de Leede, Chris Benjamin and Bilal Khan.The ILT20 is set to begin in January next year in the UAE and is competing with South Africa’s T20 League for players.On August 8, the ILT20 had announced its first list of signed players which included Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Wanindu Hasaranga, Alex Hales, Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Dawid Malan, Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Colin Munro, Fabian Allen, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Dushmantha Chameera, Akeal Hosein, Tom Banton, Sandeep Lamichhane, Rovman Powell, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Lahiru Kumara, Seekugge Prassanna, Charith Asalanka, Isuru Udana, Niroshan Dickwella, Kennar Lewis, Ravi Rampaul, Raymon Reifer, Dominic Drakes, Sherfane Rutherford, Hazratullah Zazai, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmed, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, James Vince, Saqib Mahmood, Ben Duckett, Benny Howell, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brandon Glover, Frederick Klaasen, David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann, Colin Ingram, George Munsey, Paul Stirling and Ali Khan.Each squad of 18 will have two players from Associate countries and four players from the UAE.There have been suggestions that the space for Pakistani players in the league might be limited because franchises owned by IPL owners were wary of picking them for worries of a backlash in India. One ILT20 official said the franchise owned by Lancer Capital – the Glazers family that owns Manchester United – were still hopeful of signing up some Pakistan players, though the official acknowledged that not getting the NOCs from the PCB might be the obstacle. The PCB said in a statement last week that two Pakistan players had applied for NOCs to play in the league but were not granted them because the board expected the players to be involved in Pakistan’s home season.The 2023 edition of the ILT20 will have 34 matches – all the teams will play each other twice, before four playoffs, including the final – spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Newcastle United are now in active negotiations over letting an “incredible” player leave this month, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Newcastle could be set for multiple departures

The Magpies are looking to re-shape their squad this winter, which means some long-serving players could move on before the transfer window slams shut.

Eddie Howe has now admitted that Miguel Almiron’s departure has been forced upon them because of their need to comply with the Premier League’s financial rules, saying: “He’s been top class. He lives his life through the football club. It’s not ideal but that’s the reality of PSR.

“We don’t want to lose players but we know that there’s a reality with PSR and the ongoing managing of that situation.

“So we’ve said many times over the last few weeks we’ll make more decisions not based on football, but based on decisions that we potentially have to make for the future.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that defender Lloyd Kelly could also exit St. James’ Park this month, with Fenerbahce keen over a deal, and a new club has entered the race for the defender.

According to Fabrizio Romano, who posted an update on X, Juventus have now held a meeting yesterday to discuss a deal for Kelly, having identified him as a target this winter.

Football Insider’s Mick Brown has provided a further update on the situation, suggesting the Magpies could be willing to accept an offer for the centre-back, given that complying with profit and sustainability rules must be taken into account.

Newcastle United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Southampton (a)

January 25th

Fulham (h)

February 1st

Manchester City (a)

February 15th

Nottingham Forest (h)

February 23rd

Liverpool (a)

February 26th

Brown also goes on to offer a more general update on Newcastle’s transfer policy, saying: “From what I hear, they’d consider selling most of the fringe players at the club for the right price.”

Newcastle should cash in on Kelly

The former AFC Bournemouth man has failed to force his way into contention since arriving in the summer, appearing for just one minute in the Premier League since the end of November, so it may be wise to cash in on him this winter.

It seems unlikely that a huge offer will come Newcastle’s way, considering the Englishman is no more than a fringe player, but any sale would be pure profit, as he arrived on a free transfer, meaning it could be very tempting to let him leave.

That said, if Juventus’ talks don’t come to fruition, the 26-year-old may be useful to have as a rotation option in the second half of the season, and there are signs he could have a lot to offer at St. James’ Park if he is able to find his feet.

Former Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil lauded the defender as “incredible” for his performance in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool just under two years ago, and Howe will be hoping he is able to get back to those levels as soon as possible.

Mexico has been drawn into Group A alongside Costa Rica, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic

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El Tri will play the opening match at SoFi Stadium on June 14They are the defending champions after winning in 2023Mexico aiming for their 10th Gold Cup titleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

The groups for the 2025 Gold Cup are set, and Mexico knows they will face Costa Rica, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic next summer. From El Tri's camp, the pressure is already on, with the team labeled as the one with the most pressure to win the tournament, which they have claimed nine times in history.

"I do believe we’re the ones under the most pressure to win the Gold Cup," goalkeeper Luis Malagón told ESPN. "Today, what all of us as Mexicans and players want is for Mexico to do well, and we have to work to stay focused on that goal. We have to keep rising, not settle, and go after bigger things,"

Malagón evaluates the moment he's going through as goalkeeper for América and possibly the starting goalkeeper in the next World Cup, which would be his first.

"It's been a bit of everything – ups and downs. I think at the end of the day, it's the excitement of continuing to work and doing important things to try to make an impact on the kids, in a good way. That’s what matters most to me, and delivering results because the team I’m in deserves it and that’s how it should be. But I’m happy with the moment I’m living," he said.

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After winning their first Nations League title a few weeks ago by defeating Panama 2-1 in the final, El Tri now knows the opponents in attempt to defend the Gold Cup championship. Javier Aguirre's team will face Costa Rica, a team Mexico holds a 6-3-0 record against in this tournament. Suriname and the Dominican Republic will be new opponents for Mexico in an international tournament.

Getty Images SportWHAT LUIS ÁNGEL MALAGÓN SAID

The Mexican national team has a new man in goal. While Guillermo Ochoa is aiming to play in his sixth World Cup, Malagón is emerging as the starting goalkeeper under Aguirre.

“There’s a lot of talent in Mexico," he said. "A generational change is always difficult because there are players who made an impact and continue to do so. We're talking about Memo Ochoa, Andrés Guardado, Javier Hernández, Carlos Vela. Those of us coming in or already here are eager to achieve big things, and that’s important for the future. There's a Gold Cup coming up, and we have to win it and reaffirm it, because it still belongs to Mexico."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

El Tri will have two preparation matches ahead of the Gold Cup – against Switzerland on June 7 and against Turkey on June 10.

Southern Brave suffer first defeat and will play Trent Rockets in Friday’s eliminator

Katya Witney31-Aug-2022Southern Brave suffered their first defeat of the Women’s Hundred, losing by 20 runs to Northern Superchargers to leave their hopes of direct qualification to Saturday’s final in tatters.Laura Wolvaardt continued her fine run of fine form, scoring 50 off 35 balls as Superchargers posted 145 for 6.Brave could muster only 125 for 9 in reply to leave them with an anxious wait to see whether Oval Invincibles could leapfrog them by beating Manchester Originals on Wednesday afternoon. Invincibles’ commanding win means Brave face Trent Rockets in Friday’s eliminator.Superchargers’ margin of victory was not enough to secure their place in the knockout stages: they needed to win by 46 runs to leapfrog third-placed Rockets on net run-rate.Brave lost both openers Danni Wyatt and Smriti Mandhana without scoring inside the first 10 balls of their reply, before Sophia Dunkley’s 38 from 30 balls ended Superchargers’ slim hopes of qualification despite victory. Katie Levick and Alice Davidson-Richards took two wickets apiece.”It’s a bittersweet win,” Hollie Armitage, Superchargers’ captain, said. “We knew going out there with the ball that we needed to restrict them to 99 to get our net run-rate up to where it needed to be to finish third.”Unfortunately we weren’t able to do that. But I’m really pleased with how the girls went about their business today. We went out there and played some really good cricket and have beaten a fantastic side.”Related

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After being put into bat in front of a home crowd, Superchargers were again faced with the early loss of Alyssa Healy who rocketed a ball straight into the hands of Dunkley at cover for 17.Wolvaardt set the tone for her side once more with the bat, forming a solid partnership with Heather Graham worth 45 off 27 balls. By the time Graham fell for a well-played 26 off 19, Superchargers were 98 for 4 with 26 balls still to come.Wolvaardt’s classy innings saw her pass the record for the most runs scored by any woman in the Hundred’s short history, having racked up 286 runs across six innings before she was caught superbly on the boundary by Wyatt. The previous record holder, Dane van Niekerk, managed 256 from 10 innings last season.Laura Wolvaardt cracks one away•Getty ImagesA cameo from Jenny Gunn with 15 from 7 balls after Wolvaardt’s dismissal gave the Superchargers a whiff of qualification, setting the Brave 146 to win. The home side’s hopes were boosted by a perfect start in the field, Wyatt falling off the first ball of the innings caught at short fine leg, and her opening partner, the dangerous Mandhana, falling just eight balls later.As Brave’s batting line-up wobbled under pressure, Dunkley stood firm with wickets falling around her. Tahlia McGrath was bowled by the impressive Graham and Maia Bouchier was caught off Davidson-Richards.By the time Georgia Adams nicked off to a tempting delivery from Levick, Dunkley was the only thing standing in between Superchargers and an unlikely qualification.Her steady innings of 38 off 30 came to an end when she was caught on the boundary by Graham, effectively taking Brave’s hopes of winning the game with her as she walked back to the dugout.A partnership between Amanda-Jade Wellington – who earlier took three wickets with her legbreaks – and Freya Kemp, worth 41 off just 18 balls, ended Superchargers’ hopes of qualification.But the bowlers could not see Brave home with the bat, and they finished on 125 for 9.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski spoke out after being booed by Borussia Dortmund supporters on his return to the club in the Champions League.

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Lewandowski back at Dortmund with BarcaFans boo former striker in Champions League tieBarca ace hits back after gameFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lewandowski was back at former club Dortmund on Tuesday in the quarter-finals of the Champions League as Barca progressed 5-3 on aggregate. The striker was booed every time he touched the ball at Signal Iduna Park but had a strong message for those fans after the second leg which ended in a 3-1 defeat for Barca.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT LEWANDOWSKI SAID

He told reporters after the game: "I understand the fans, but the fans should understand me too. I’ve shown many times how much I respect Borussia. I only have positive memories of my time there, and they will stay with me forever. It’s a wonderful feeling to come back to this stadium."

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Lewandowski spent four years with Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles, the DFB-Pokal and reaching the Champions League final with the club, before going on to join bitter rivals Bayern and then Barcelona. The striker has also gone on to develop a habit of scoring against Dortmund in his career and has bagged 30 goals in 28 appearances when facing his former employers.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LEWANDOWSKI

Barcelona and Lewandowski will take on either Bayern or Inter in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Next up for Barca in La Liga is a visit from Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Lewandowski set to hit 100 goals for the Catalans if he can find the target at Montjuic.

Ipswich Town have a massive game in the Premier League up next to kick off February as bottom-of-the-table Southampton travel to Portman Road.

Indeed, the Tractor Boys will hope they can sense blood in this clash to emphatically beat Ivan Juric’s Saints after losing back-to-back contests against some of the top-flight’s best in Manchester City and Liverpool.

Of course, football doesn’t often play out as you expect, but Kieran McKenna will be desperate for his team to pick up a win to build back up some confidence after letting in ten goals to both City and the Reds in two humbling defeats.

McKenna will still need his best players to shine against Southampton no matter how poor they’ve looked for large spells of the campaign, with Omari Hutchinson one figure who can cause defences all sorts of bother when at the very top of his game.

Hutchinson's importance at Ipswich

The last time the Tractor Boys won on their own patch, Hutchinson was a bright spark throughout as Chelsea succumbed to a surprise 2-0 defeat.

He even managed to clinch the game in his side’s favour against his ex-employers as his calm finish beat Filip Jørgensen after a wonderfully crafted counter attack found him begging to fire home.

Away from that game, Hutchinson has also picked up a further goal and one assist in the Premier League, after initially exploding into life at Portman Road as an exciting loan talent on the way to McKenna’s men leaping up to the level.

Whilst he did cost a weighty £20m to pick up permanently in the summer, the Jamaica international’s wage only comes in at a modest £6k-per-week as per Capology, with an Ipswich outcast earning a higher salary than the standout 20-year-old.

What the future holds for Massimo Luongo at Ipswich

Unfortunately, whilst some players take to the pressures of a new level in their stride, others don’t quite acclimatise in the same way.

Massimo Luongo arguably falls into that latter bracket, with just 170 minutes of football coming his way this season in the daunting division after being a regular last season in the Championship.

During that promotion success, the Australian midfielder would help himself to three goals and three assists as a regular starter in the middle of the park next to Sam Morsy, who is also a victim somewhat of the major gulf in quality between the EFL and the top-flight.

Luongo hasn’t been helped by some injury niggles, but with the likes of Jack Taylor, Jens Cajuste and Kalvin Phillips at McKenna’s disposal, it feels unlikely even when he’s up to full speed that he will displace any of those names to return to the starting XI week in week out.

Axel Tuanzebe

11

June 2025

Cameron Burgess

10

June 2025

Luke Woolfenden

9

June 2025

Massimo Luongo

6

June 2025

Looking at the table above, there might be more of an effort made to keep other out-of-contract individuals than Luongo, with the other three faces all playing more league games than the Ipswich number 25.

On top of that, Luongo’s £10k-per-week salary could be another reason he will be ditched this forthcoming June, with Hutchinson amazingly earning less, despite featuring in 21 of his side’s 23 league encounters to date.

Now also 32 years of age, it could well be time for both the Suffolk side and Luongo to part ways amicably, with a rebuild on the cards regardless of whether Ipswich survive or return straight back to the Championship.

McKenna's next Hirst: Ipswich make enquiry to sign "explosive" Delap rival

Ipswich Town are looking to sign this young striker before the transfer window slams shut.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jan 26, 2025

On Sunday morning, Tottenham Hotspur finally landed their first defensive reinforcement of the transfer window, securing a deal for Lens centre-back Kevin Danso.

The Austrian looked set for a loan move to fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Ange Postecoglou’s side stepped in at the final hour to secure a deal for the 26-year-old.

The hierarchy forked out €25m (£20m) for his signature, adding the needed depth that the side has desperately been crying out for in their recent defensive injury crisis.

Such a deal should allow Archie Gray to finally feature in a more natural midfield or full-back role, as Danso looks to offer that defensive solidity that the backline has been starved of in recent weeks.

He could be joined in North London by one player after the hierarchy made inroads to land another attacking talent at the top end of the pitch before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

Spurs make enquiry to land attacking star

According to TBR, Spurs have made a late enquiry to land Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku to add needed depth to the centre-forward position.

The Frenchman joined the Blues for £52m during the summer of 2023 but has found game time extremely hard to come by, starting just three Premier League games in 2024/25.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that Enzo Maresca’s side are open to allowing the 27-year-old to leave, but doesn’t state whether any move would be a temporary or permanent one.

Despite his lack of minutes, Nkunku has still produced an impressive record throughout the ongoing campaign, notching 13 goals across 29 appearances in all competitions.

He would be a solid addition, one that could cover for Dominic Solanke whilst also providing competition to the Englishman, whilst also allowing them to forget about a move for another attacking star.

Why Nkunku would be way better than Tel for Spurs

At one stage, it looked as though Spurs would complete a move for Bayern Munich youngster Mathys Tel after agreeing a €60m (£50m) fee with the Bundesliga outfit for the teenager.

Owner Daniel Levy even flew out to Munich to hold personal talks with the forward in order to advance a deal to see the Frenchman move to North London before the end of the window.

However, Tel decided to reject a move to join Postecoglou’s side, not ruling out staying in Germany but also opening the door to other English sides as a result.

Such a decision has seen the club struggle to identify any other forward options, that was until the enquiry was made to land Nkunku before the closure of the window this evening.

However, Tel’s decision could prove to be a blessing in disguise, with the Chelsea ace undoubtedly a better option based on their respective figures from the current season.

Games played

19

8

Goals & assists

3

1

Shot-on-target accuracy

40%

30%

Pass accuracy

91%

84%

Shot-creating actions

4

1.9

Aerials won

1.9

0.4

Carries into the opposition box

1.7

1.1

Nkunku, who’s previously been dubbed “world-class” by Pep Guardiola, has massively outscored the Bayern star, whilst also posting a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, demonstrating his clinical edge within the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more carries into the 18-yard box, along with more than double the number of shot-creating actions – once again showcasing his ability to create carnage within attacking areas, something which Ange desperately wants to add to his side.

Whilst it’s unclear if he would like to move across London before the end of the window, it’s evident that the former RB Leipzig man has a lot of quality that would drastically improve the options currently at the Spurs boss’ disposal.

It could be another hefty investment from Levy after Danso’s own transfer, but after the new arrival at the back, one is still desperately needed at the top end, with Nkunku the man who could provide the difference in the months ahead.

Ange's next Werner: Levy makes contact to sign £80k-p/w talent at Spurs

Spurs are still keen to do business before the window slams shut…

ByRobbie Walls Feb 1, 2025

Australia wicketkeeper tests positive 24 hours out from the England clash but has mild symptoms and is expected to play as Australia do not have a back-up

Alex Malcolm27-Oct-2022Australia are negotiating a second Covid-positive case in three days with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade testing positive just 24 hours out from their vital clash with England at the MCG on Friday.Wade did not train at Australia’s optional indoor session at the Junction Oval on Thursday afternoon after testing positive. It follows hot on the heels of Adam Zampa missing Australia’s clash with Sri Lanka after testing positive.But under tournament rules, Wade is allowed to play and is likely to line up for Australia despite the positive test. His symptoms are minor. Wade will however need to travel to the ground separately to the rest of the squad and will not be able to use the team changeroom prior to or during the game.Zampa was also set to play in Perth but a decision was made by the medical staff to take a conservative route to rest him with the able backup of Ashton Agar ready and available. Zampa is set to return against England after testing negative on Thursday. He trained at the Junction Oval, doing some bowling with assistant coach Daniel Vettori.Australia’s selectors do not have the option to replace Wade though, as he is the only specialist wicketkeeper in Australia’s 15-man squad, after backup keeper Josh Inglis was withdrawn prior to the tournament due to a severe cut to his hand. Inglis was replaced by allrounder Cameron Green.Australia cannot fly in a backup keeper such as Alex Carey, Josh Philippe, Ben McDermott or Jimmy Peirson to play as Wade would need to be permanently replaced in the squad for the remainder of the tournament.This was the exact scenario Australia had hoped to avoid when replacing Inglis with Green, having gambled that there was a very slim chance that Wade would go down.Glenn Maxwell took the liberty of donning some fresh wicketkeeping gloves at the indoor session to do some catching with Australia assistant coach and former grade keeper Andre Borovec. But it was done as a lighthearted show for the TV news cameras at the session and brought about laughter from the chairman of selectors George Bailey. Captain Aaron Finch also suggested to Maxwell that he himself would keep before Maxwell would, especially given Maxwell’s bowling requirements.Finch and coach Andrew McDonald stated pre-tournament that David Warner would likely do it in case of an emergency given he has kept in a Test match for Australia as an in-game replacement for Brad Haddin. Finch has also done it in the BBL for Melbourne Renegades.But it is unlikely Australia will need a contingency for Wade, given he is set to play. Even if he doesn’t, the chances of the game against England going ahead at all are getting slimmer by the hour in Melbourne as more rain bucketed down on Thursday, with more expected on Friday.

Bruno Fernandes has given Rasmus Hojlund a blunt reminder of his “responsibility” as Manchester United’s No.9.

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Danish striker has struggled for goalsJust four in the Premier League this seasonTransfer talk building at Old TraffordFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Denmark international has found the weight of responsibility that comes with filling that jersey at Old Trafford difficult to shoulder at times. He did, however, get on the scoresheet to rescue a point for the Red Devils in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.

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That effort brought a six-game goal drought to a close, but he only has four efforts in the Premier League to his name this season and nine strikes in total from 46 appearances in all competitions.

WHAT BRUNO FERNANDES SAID

United captain Fernandes has reminded Hojlund of what he needs to deliver for the good of the collective cause, with the Portuguese telling : “Strikers are about scoring goals and we all know that, he knows the responsibility of being the No.9 of United and he has to score goals, that’s the demand of a club like this, not only for him, but for everyone else.

“Everyone that plays here who has the qualities to get into the box to score goals has to do it. Today, it was Rasmus, and everyone is very happy to see a striker scoring and hopefully it’s going to give him a little bit of a push for what’s coming.”

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Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim told of seeing Hojlund get back on the goal trail: “It is always important for strikers to score. But when we look at the game as a striker it is not just the goals. It is a good boost but the next game is a new history and we have to go again.”

Tensions between domestic and international cricket are only likely to increase, the international players’ association said

Nagraj Gollapudi29-Nov-2022Forty percent of the world’s top T20 men’s players are operating as free agents as they shun national contracts to move around the world plying their trade in lucrative domestic T20 leagues. Another 42% are operating in a hybrid model combining a national and domestic contract along with playing in at least one overseas T20 league.That means 82% of the top-100 T20 players don’t want to be shackled solely to a national contract, once the only route of sustenance and security for players. These are the core findings of the 2022 Men’s Global Employment Report conducted by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA).FICA’s report was unveiled on Tuesday, its findings derived from the Global Player Survey conducted earlier this year. The responses come from 400 players across 11 countries, the majority of them international cricketers. The survey does not feature players from India and Pakistan as neither country has a players’ association that is affiliated with FICA.Related

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FICA alert: Players desperate to board free-agency flight

This is the third edition of the FICA report, which was conducted for the first time in 2018 and then in 2020. In its inaugural survey four years ago, FICA had warned of a flight of talent from the “vertical pathway” (graduating from domestic to international cricket) to the “horizontal pathway” (dominated by overseas T20 franchise leagues).Such a threat now is a stark reality with domestic T20 leagues (including T10 tournaments) pinned across cricket’s global landscape and dominating even the international calendar. An already crowded T20 leagues roster will see the arrival from 2023 of two new competitions: the ILT20 and the SA20, both of which start in January.Such a wider choice, FICA says, is behind the “growing trend” of players moving towards the hybrid or free agent route “with 82% of the top 100 players from the T20 Player Index” now in this category. The report does point out currently most of those free agents are players from the “smaller cricketing economies” who are making use of the “volume of opportunities” on offer.”Some of the individuals playing for 3 teams or more represent a potential new category of free-agent player ‘The league specialists’ – many of whom have limited international careers, including playing very little Test cricket, with their primary focus being in the Domestic Leagues landscape,” the report said.Players are now starting to forge careers away from the national set-ups•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesPart of this band are the likes of Tim David who featured in seven T20 leagues in 2021 along with Afghanistan trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman each of whom played in half a dozen T20 leagues in the same year.The remaining 18%, the report pointed out, is the group of players on a more traditional employment pathway, and almost exclusively Indian players “highlighting the restraints placed” by BCCI which has barred them from featuring in overseas domestic T20 leagues. The findings also point out “40% of the top T20 players in the world” don’t have a central contract “with a top nine cricket country” (not including Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan in the 12 Full Member countries).

When combined with an increasingly crowded global playing schedule, and scheduling overlap between domestic leagues and international cricket, tension is created with many of the best players in the world incentivised to prioritise domestic leagues and forgo international fixtures and/or central contractsFICA report

While it admitted that “using only the T20 format as a snapshot skews the data” FICA pointed out that the shortest format was “increasingly relevant indicator as the vast majority of the best players in the world play the format.”How much is too much?To illustrate how far the landscape of international cricket has changed, FICA compared the number of ODIs/T20s across random years between 2003 and 2021. In 2003 there was no international T20 cricket, but out of 196 international matches played, 71% (152) were ODIs along with 44 Test matches. In 2021, 485 international matches were played across three formats with the break-up being: 346 T20Is (71%), 46 Tests (9%) and 93 ODIs (19%) – the vast increase in T20Is is also because of a widening of the classification in 2019 to include all such matches played between Associates.The chief catalyst behind players going solo is the lucrative remuneration on offer in these leagues, and the FICA report echoed that point. “Professional cricket is increasingly a multi-contract, multi-employer system,” the report said. “The gap between domestic earnings and international earnings has increased further since FICA’s last report and exceeds international earnings in all bar two countries.”Another major reason players, including high profile names, are redrawing their futures is the relentless international schedule which has forced a massive workload upon them. That is not going to reduce with increasing frequency of ICC tournaments in the next FTP: there are 20 global tournaments in 2024-31 FTP compared to 14 in the previous eight-year cycle (2015-23).Ben Stokes is among the leading players to have retirement from one format of the game•Getty ImagesBen Stokes sounded an alarm bell when he retired from ODIs this year. Quinton de Kock has retired from Test cricket at the age of 29. Trent Boult also gave up a central contract and decided to become a free agent, joining several other New Zealand players who have rejected a national contract.Such a trend, FICA report said, was not just limited to high profile players and would continue especially in the wake of new T20 leagues and the spread of IPL owners “horizontally” into other overseas leagues. Multiple employers and contracts would only increase the “tension” between players and their national boards, the report pointed out.”When combined with an increasingly crowded global playing schedule, and scheduling overlap between domestic leagues and international cricket, tension is created with many of the best players in the world incentivised to prioritise domestic leagues and forgo international fixtures and/or central contracts. This is further amplified by the workload of domestic leagues being generally half that of international cricket on a time / wage basis – i.e. ‘twice the pay for half the work’. Whilst this trend is not limited to ‘profile players’ some pertinent recent examples include Trent Boult rejecting a NZC central contract, Ben Stokes retiring from ODIs and Quinton de Kock retiring from Test cricket at the age of 29. This trend looks set to continue with the creation of more domestic leagues, and IPL media rights reportedly selling for over 6 billion USD for the next 5 years.”Of those who participated in the FICA survey, 49% said they would “consider rejecting a central contract if they were paid more to play in domestic leagues”, but 74% (dropping from 82% in 2018 report) still value Test cricket as the summit in the game. Seventy-nine percent wanted a threshold number for minimum and maximum number of international matches annually while 63% wanted franchises leagues “ring fenced” to have more clarity and allow domestic and international cricket to “co-exist”.Tom Moffat, the FICA CEO, said a balanced global structure was a must for the health of the game and its players and a “clear framework around bilateral international cricket scheduling” was necessary. “The majority of the value in each of the three major, revenue generating cricket landscapes, is generated through a small number of players, and those players can only be in so many places at once.”