ILT20 finds its formula: Clear window and a stronger local core

The ILT20 Season 4, which concluded on Sunday (January 4) at the Dubai International Stadium, delivered on a few key objectives, one of them being the avoidance of a major scheduling conflict with SA20, the South African league widely viewed as its primary competitor. Although SA20 began on December 26, creating a brief overlap, ILT20 still had a relatively clear window.

The season also marked progress on the league's broader strategy as well, highlighted by a landmark agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Additionally, the number of overseas internationals permitted in a playing XI, a topic of wide debate in world cricket, was reduced to eight from nine.

"The first motivation was, in our traditional window, was the T20 World Cup (February 7 to March 8). We couldn't play in that window, obviously. So we decided to play earlier, and it's been very successful. We're very happy with it. I think the quality of players has been very good," David White, the CEO of the league, told Cricbuzz.

"We've got a bit of a clash with the Big Bash and a little bit with SA20, but I think that having a clearer window has certainly been an advantage," White says, indicating that Season 5 is also likely to be held around the same dates. "I think we haven't made a decision yet, but I also think it's been successful, and I'd be very surprised if we aren't in a similar window next year."

Next year, South Africa are expected to host traditional Boxing Day and New Year Tests, which should rule out any significant possibility of a scheduling conflict. The first three seasons of the two leagues overwhelmingly overlapped.

White, a veteran cricket administrator who previously worked with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), admits that finding a free window for a franchise-based league is never easy, as most international cricket is played in the Southern Hemisphere window. Although the UAE is in the Northern Hemisphere, the league had to use the Southern Hemisphere calendar due to extreme summer heat in the region in other months.

"We play in the same window as the southern hemisphere, but it's our winter, so it's different. And obviously, summer is very challenging over here in terms of the heat. We discussed it with our partners (mainly Zee, the media rights holders, and sponsors), and everyone seemed to agree. It's worked out well."

For the record, the majority of world cricket is played in the congested Southern Hemisphere window (September to March-April), with the exception of England and, to some extent, the West Indies.

White is pleased with the league's partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. "We see DP World ILT20 as very much a platform to help develop cricket within the GCC region. In the future, I'd like to think that on the back of the partnerships we've got with Saudi and Kuwait, we'll be looking to play matches in those regions in the near future."

The tournament has been criticised for featuring nine overseas internationals in each XI, leaving only two spots for regional players. This year, the organisers increased regional representation to three - two from the UAE and one from the Associate nations - while reducing the number of overseas players to eight. White believes the overseas presence will further shrink, going forward.

"Our primary focus is the development of UAE players, associate players and other players around the world. We got an extra associate player in. It's something that I think one of the big success stories of this year is the fact that UAE players and associate players have been some of the best performers in the league."

UAE's Muhammad Waseem of MI Emirates has emerged as the second-highest run-scorer of the season, while Ajay Kumar, also from the UAE and representing the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 18 scalps.

"We had two UAE players and an associate player. Initially it was nine. It's down to eight this year. So we'd like to think that we keep building on that," White notes.