Islamabad, Mar 19 2025: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Richard Gould has stated that they will not support a proposed T20 league backed by Saudi Arabia.
Richard Gould emphasized that the packed international calendar and numerous existing franchise leagues left no room for such a tournament.
Reports from the Sydney Morning Herald indicated that the league would feature eight teams playing across four venues, with financial backing from Saudi Arabia.
However, Gould dismissed the idea, stating that the ECB saw no demand for another T20 competition.
The ECB remains focused on protecting its own short-format league, The Hundred, which recently secured $1.27 billion in private investment.
The Hundred, featuring a unique 100-ball format, has become a priority for the board as it seeks to expand its commercial success.
The global T20 landscape is already dominated by leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League, and Pakistan’s Super League, among others.
Several nations, including South Africa, the West Indies, and the United Arab Emirates, have also launched their own franchise-based tournaments.
While the ECB remains opposed to the Saudi-backed proposal, the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) has expressed interest in the concept.
The ACA stated that its support stemmed from efforts to establish collective bargaining frameworks and promote gender pay equity in cricket.
With growing financial influence in global sports, Saudi Arabia’s push into cricket remains a subject of debate, but resistance from major boards like the ECB may pose challenges for the proposed league’s success.
