In an exclusive chat with Sports Tak, International League T20 (ILT20) CEO David White spoke candidly about the possibility of increasing the participation of Indian players in the franchise-based T20 competition. The ILT20 is currently in its second season with the tournament being staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As of now, former India batter Ambati Rayudu is the only Indian player to feature in the ongoing edition of the ILT20. Speaking about adding more Indian talent to the competition, White reflected on the strict guidelines that have been put in place by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"I think every league around the world would like more representation of Indian players but we know that's not a reality at the moment. The BCCI has a policy that supports the Indian Premier League (IPL) and I understand that's fine," said White.
While increasing the participation of Indian players might not seem like a feasible option moving forward, White is banking on Pakistan cricketers to elevate the standard of the league along with pulling more crowds to the stadium. The presence of Pakistan's T20I captain Shaheen Afridi adds to the box-office element of the league, especially with the competition being based out of the UAE.
"I would like to say that the Pakistan international players have added depth to the competition," White opined.
"Shaheen Shah Afridi is a huge draw card (crowd puller) and to see him win the game on Tuesday night with three required from the last ball off Trent Boult's bowling, and the display of raw emotion from him after he won the game was tremendous for the league.
"So the Pakistan players add depth and I think they're going to be a big part of the league moving forward," he added.
Talking about the ongoing season of the ILT20, a total of 18 matches have been played so far in the league stage with 12 more scheduled to be staged before the playoffs kick off on February 13. MI Emirates have slowly but steadily separated themselves from the rest of the five teams and are currently occupying the top spot on the points table with five wins from seven matches played.
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