ICC Board Meet: India to get maximum share; only 4 overseas players allowed in new T20 leagues
New Delhi (PTI): The BCCI reaffirmed its status as the financial powerhouse of world cricket as the ICC unanimously passed the revenue distribution model at its all-powerful board meeting in Durban on Thursday.
In another important development, the ICC has put a cap on overseas cricketers plying their trade for teams in various leagues, keeping it to four players per playing XI in new events. This is primarily meant for T20 leagues starting in every nook and corner, which is posing a threat to the international version of the game.
While the ICC media release didn't state the quantum of revenue that the BCCI will generate from the new distribution model, it is expected that the Indian board will annually earn USD 230 million from the USD 600 million pot for the next four years.
It is around 38.4 percent approximately and at least six times more than England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who are set to receive approximately USD 41 million at 6.89 percent and Cricket Australia (CA) who will get 37.53 million (around 6.25 percent). They are distant second and third in the list.
"The ICC Board also confirmed the largest ever investment into the sport after the distribution model for the next four years was agreed," the ICC release stated.
"Every ICC Member will receive significantly enhanced funding with a strategic investment fund ring-fenced to drive global growth initiatives in line with the ICC Global Growth Strategy," it further stated.
While the numbers were not there in the release, an ICC board member confirmed that the BCCI got its rightful share for its contribution to the growth of the sport and in this cycle each member would earn significantly more.
"All members will receive a base distribution and then additional revenue will be in relation to contribution to the global game both on and off the field," ICC chairman Greg Barclay said.
"This is by far the largest level of investment ever to go into cricket and it's a once in a generation opportunity for our members to accelerate growth and engage more players and fans and drive competitiveness," he added.
Cap on players' participation in new events
The ICC has decided that all new events (read various T20 leagues) will have to at least include seven home grown players or players from associate member in their playing XIs, in order to prevent en masse retirement of T20 specialists from top countries.
With the Major League Cricket (MLC) starting in the USA and Saudi Arabia also planning an ambitious T20 project in future, the stakeholders want to protect international cricket.
The host T20 board will also have to pay a "solidarity fee", which, in simple words, is a commission to the home board of an overseas player.
"Moving forwards, new events requiring a sanction will need to ensure the playing XI of each team will include a minimum of seven local or associate member players to support the development of the game.
"Additionally, a solidarity fee will be payable from the organising member to the home board of a player to reflect the role the member played in developing and promoting the sport globally."
Over-rate sanctions
The Chief Executives' Committee approved changes to over-rate sanctions in Test cricket to balance the need for over-rates to be maintained and ensure players are appropriately remunerated.
Such players will be fined 5% of their match fee for each over short up to a maximum of 50%.
If a team is bowled out before the new ball is due at 80 overs, there will be no over-rate penalty applied even if there is a slow over-rate. This replaces the current 60 over threshold.
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K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
