A year after enforcing stricter regulations for T20 and T10 leagues globally, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set a significant precedent by penalizing the USA's National Cricket League (NCL) for violating player composition rules. NCL had generated considerable buzz by partnering with cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards, and Wasim Akram to attract fans.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the NCL has been banned for fielding six to seven foreign players in its playing XI, which breaches ICC’s league guidelines. These rules stipulate that each team must field a minimum of seven local or associate players. The likes of Tendulkar and Gavaskar were reportedly part of NCL's ownership group, but the league has struggled with several operational challenges, including poor-quality drop-in pitches. This led players like Tymal Mills and Wahab Riaz to switch to spin bowling to avoid injuring the batters.
Further allegations of violating US immigration laws have also emerged. It is claimed that NCL allowed some players to enter the USA on tourist visas to reduce costs, though athletes are required to obtain specific visas like P1 or O1 for participation in leagues, which can cost up to USD 6,000 per player. The NCL, which launched in October, saw six teams compete in its inaugural season in a T10 format. The tournament featured prominent players like Tim David, Imran Tahir, Angelo Mathews, and Shakib Al Hasan, as well as cricketing icons such as Sanath Jayasuriya and Viv Richards in coaching roles. Chicago CC emerged as the winners, led by Robin Uthappa.
