If approved by the ICC Board, the overseas player cap would disrupt the operational and commercial models of both ILT20 and MLC.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reviewing a sweeping set of regulatory proposals aimed at tightening oversight over global T20 franchise leagues, Cricinfo reported.
Put forward by a dedicated franchise leagues review group formed in July 2026 and chaired by BCB president Tamim Iqbal alongside executives from the BCCI, ECB, and Cricket Australia, the recommendations will be deliberated at the ICC's quarterly meetings in Bali this weekend.
If approved, the proposals could reportedly reshape the global franchise cricket landscape by expanding the ICC's oversight of league operations, player participation, sponsorship and anti-corruption measures.
The review group recommends enforcing a strict limit of four overseas players per playing XI across all leagues. This would revoke the exemptions granted in 2023 to the UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) and the United States' Major League Cricket (MLC).
The ILT20 currently permits up to nine overseas players in a playing XI, while MLC allows up to six overseas players. A reduction to four would force both leagues to rely more heavily on local talent from the UAE and the United States, potentially impacting their competitive balance and commercial appeal.
Both leagues have deep backing from Indian franchise owners. Five of the six ILT20 teams are connected to IPL or WPL ownership groups, while four MLC teams are tied to IPL franchise ownership groups.
The ICC also wants the authority to audit, review, or revoke league sanctions granted by Full Member boards if obligations are not met or integrity concerns arise. Currently, only leagues hosted by Associate Members require direct ICC approval.
The review group seeks to prohibit betting companies and their surrogate brands from sponsoring teams or tournaments. This aims to curb illegal betting in unregulated markets.
The proposal states: "This would address the threat posed by the growth of illegal betting (namely betting on unregulated markets or in countries where betting is illegal). Such sponsorship exposes host Members to the risk of facilitating illegal betting in cricket, which carries the potential for increased corruption and raises clear ethical and governance questions for the sport."
As per the recommendations, the leagues will only receive official sanction if they commit to using the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) or an integrity body explicitly approved by the apex body.
The review group has also proposed charging a fee to sanction leagues to fund due diligence, alongside stricter checks on funding sources and player payment safeguards.
Moreover, the committee flagged the need to standardize player release fees (solidarity payments) across boards, regulate retired-player "legends leagues," and potentially cap the number of franchise leagues a single member board can host within its territory.
The ICC's Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) will discuss the recommendations and forward relevant proposals to the ICC Board for approval, potentially paving the way for a significant overhaul of regulations governing T20 franchise cricket.
(With Cricinfo Inputs)