According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, franchises in the International League T20 (ILT20) have reportedly raised concerns over new player recruitment rules. The league has introduced rules according to which all six teams will have to sign a minimum number of players from specific countries from next season.
The tournament is scheduled to be played from November 22 to December 20, 2026. Under the new rules, each team will have to include at least four players from Afghanistan and one player from Ireland in their final squad. These changes are expected to have a significant impact on franchises’ overseas recruitment strategies.
Franchises raise concerns as ILT20 imposes new squad requirements
According to the Player Contracting Model document obtained by ESPN Cricinfo, the league informed franchise owners about the new squad rules in May. The report said that although the teams have submitted strong objections in writing, the organizers are committed to implementing the new rules.
Under the revised rules, each playing XI must include at least two players from Afghanistan, two players from the UAE and one player from the Associate country. Additionally, each franchise must have a squad of 21 to 23 players for the tournament.
To meet the new requirements, teams must sign players from full member countries while accommodating regional and domestic quotas. As part of the league’s development plans, each team is to include four UAE players, including at least one capped international cricketer and one under-23 player.
Growing concerns over NOC sanctions influence ILT20’s new strategy
ILT20 introduced these national player quotas to ensure better player availability amid a crowded global cricket calendar. The report said league officials are concerned that the full member board could impose strict limits on No Objection Certificates (NOC), making it harder to attract top international players in the future.
The ICC has recently formed a committee to study the impact of franchise cricket on the international schedule. Governing bodies have raised concerns over increasing clashes between domestic leagues and international fixtures, prompting several cricket boards to safeguard their competitions.
Many national boards have already taken steps to limit the participation of players in foreign leagues. The cricket boards of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have placed restrictions on the number of overseas T20 leagues their centrally contracted players can participate in each year.
Franchises raise concerns over new ILT20 recruitment rules
Several franchise executives expressed disappointment at the lack of consultation before the new rules were implemented. Team representatives argued that mandatory nationality requirements limited their ability to select the strongest potential playing XI based solely on cricketing merit.
Until the 2025–26 season, teams were allowed to field a flexible combination of nine foreign players and two UAE players in the playing eleven. Franchise owners also raised financial concerns, stating that signing mandatory players from specific countries could put additional pressure on the team budget.
The ILT20 had entered into an agreement with Cricket West Indies ahead of the opening of the 2022 season to encourage the participation of Caribbean players. However, that arrangement did not include any mandatory quotas or fixed requirements on the number of players in a particular region.
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