Franchise is the future but Australia rule the here and now

NEW DELHI : Cricket got a glimpse into its future during a momentous 2023 but its present continues to be dominated by Australia, who bagged the test and 50-overs world titles under Pat Cummins's inspiring leadership.

After two years of intense lobbying, cricket finally got the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) seal of approval to be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Games having last featured in the world's biggest sporting extravaganza in 1900.

The sport also dipped its toes into a lucrative new market in the United States this year with Major League Cricket (MLC).

With the Indian American CEOs of Microsoft and Adobe among its backers, MLC hopes to squeeze cricket into a crowded sporting landscape dominated by baseball, basketball and American football.

While franchise cricket is driving the game's global growth, it may also supplant national boards to become the primary employer of players.

The owners of eight of the 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises also own at least one team in another foreign competition.

The owners of the IPL's Mumbai and Delhi franchises have acquired teams in new T20 tournaments in the U.S., South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

CONTRACT CONTROL

Franchise cricket's expanding footprint has spurred national boards into action, with England introducing multi-year contracts and Australia hiking pay in a bid to essentially retain control over where and when players can play.

Neil Maxwell, Australia's most prominent player agent, told Reuters earlier this year that the current contract system was not sustainable in the long term and that cricket was becoming more like football.

"The landscape is changing, similar to the EPL system where playing for the club is the priority," he said referring to