ANI
New Delhi
The World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) has initiated an extensive review of the global cricket structure, aiming to address the increasingly fragmented and congested cricket calendar as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
This review is seen as a crucial step towards finding sustainable solutions that will allow international cricket and domestic leagues to coexist more harmoniously.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the WCA represents 16 player associations from different countries, including Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa. Notably, India (BCCI) and Pakistan (PCB) remain outside the WCA’s representation, as neither country has a player association for active players.
WCA Chair Heath Mills highlighted the urgency of this review, citing the lack of progress by cricket’s governing bodies in establishing a "clear and coherent structure” for the sport.
Mills expressed the players’ growing frustration, stating that they have "virtually given up hope” that the current leadership will resolve the scheduling conflicts that plague the sport.
This review has been prompted by the players themselves, who, according to Mills, are eager to have a voice in shaping the future of cricket.
The players are particularly concerned with the unsustainable scheduling model, which often forces them to choose between representing their country and maximizing their careers in domestic T20 leagues.
One potential solution, supported by 84 per cent of the players consulted by the WCA, is the establishment of ring-fenced windows in the calendar, allowing both international cricket and domestic leagues to thrive without overlap, ESPNcricinfo reported.
Leading this comprehensive review is a six-member group chaired by Paul Marsh, former head of the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
The group also includes prominent figures such as former Pakistan’s women’s team captain Sana Mir, ex-FICA chief Tony Irish, former England Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Tom Harrison, and Sanjog Gupta, Head of Sports at Disney Star.
This team will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including players, administrators, and franchise owners, before formulating a set of recommendations.
These recommendations will first be presented to the WCA board and then shared with the broader cricketing community, including the ICC.
The group’s focus will be on three critical issues: the current scheduling model, the growing economic disparity between cricket boards, and player employment and contracts.
Mills and the WCA have identified the scheduling model as "broken and unsustainable,” describing it as "confusing and chaotic,” with players often caught in a dilemma between national duty and lucrative domestic league contracts, the report said.
Additionally, the review will address the alleged economic imbalance between Full (ICC) Member nations, where a few wealthy boards fund the global game, leaving smaller members to make short-term decisions for survival, ESPNcricinfo reported.