MCL to have only retired players: ICC stands by it

After three full-time cricket boards expressed their concerns on the participation of their currently active players in the Master’s Champions League (MCL), ICC clarifies that no no-objection certificates should be granted to those players and MCL is strictly a Twenty20 tournament for retired players.

According to Clive Hitchcock, the ICC senior operations manager, “Our decision not to issue a Disapproved Notice was based on the application from MCL which clearly stated that it was an event for retired players only, “Emirates Cricket Board, who sanctioned the event, did so on the basis of their negotiations with MCL for a retired players event. Consequently, the actions of those involved with the MCL in seeking current player participation in the event are unacceptable to us.” He sent a draft of this email to all the cricketing boards facing this concern. It has been known that the cricketing boards who are facing this problem are the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Cricket South Africa (CSA), and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

This tournament conducted and approved by the ICC is not like any other league where anybody can participate but is just a tournament for the retired cricketers.

Hitchcock also stated that the affected boards have highlighted to the ICC that the MCL has been signing up players who are yet to retire, thereby weakening their domestic cricket. “Within the past week we have received notification from two Full Members that its current players have just been approached to play in the event, by requesting those players to seek NOCs from their respective Board,” he said.

Few South African cricketers who haven’t retired but are a part of MCL’s squads are Ryan McLaren, Richard Levi and Robin Peterson. West Indies’ players like Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Fidel Edwards have are facing the same issues on their stance on retirement.

The first season of MCL will be having six franchises comprising of retired international superstars of the game. It’ll be played in three international stadiums in the UAE They will be fighting in the round robin competition against each other and the 4 teams with the top points will be qualifying to play the semi-finals and the two teams will be playing the finals of the series. It is slated to start by the end of this month and hopefully, the event isn’t poised with any more problems and can go according to the schedule.