The International Cricket Council (ICC) was cognizant of the challenge in reining in corruption that could stem from the unregulated Twenty20 leagues around the world, CEO David Richardson said here on Thursday.
Betting and spot-fixing are potential weak spots for cricket in tournaments conducted outside the aegis of the world’s governing body. With tough steps in place in international cricket to check the menace, criminals could turn their attention to other tournaments, according to Richardson.
A number of leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Caribbean Premier League, and the Pakistan Super League, have engaged the ICC in developing a robust anti-corruption system, he said.
Other league organisers could consult ICC on how best to “police and monitor” them, Richardson told The Hindu .
Also on the agenda are steps for the global growth of the sport. The “strategic partnership” struck with Coca-Cola, announced here on Thursday, will help ICC financially in pursuing this objective. The five-year deal includes all elite-level tournaments around the world conducted by the ICC.
Commenting on the tie-up, Richardson said, “If we want to take this sport into the U.S., into Europe, we need these kind of brands to help us do so and hence the value of the partnership.”
Elaborating on the strategy in this regard, Richardson said the ICC would promote the T20 format in the South Americas, the U.S. and Europe. More countries were likely to take up the game because of the format.
The diaspora from the subcontinent would be targeted in countries like Germany, the U.S. and Canada for the development of the game there.
Also, attempts would be made to get cricket into the 2028 Olympics. That would help generate additional revenue for ICC as well as member nations, he added.
