‘Pakistan second largest contributor to global franchises’

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently recalled their players for international matches against Pakistan just before the Indian Premier League (IPL) play-offs.  

This caused frustration among IPL teams who had to compete without key English players during the crucial knockout stages.

ECB CEO Richard Gould, in an interview with Cricbuzz, emphasised the board's support for players participating in global franchise tournaments. Gould highlighted that in 2023, 74 English-qualified men played in international tournaments, making England the leading contributor to global franchises.

"We are always very pleased when our players go out around the world playing in franchise tournaments. We have a very good record. If you look at 2023, there were 74 English-qualified men's players that played in tournaments around the world. That is by far and away the highest, making us the biggest contributor to global franchises, bar none. The second best performing nation, I think, is Pakistan with 45," Gould stated.

Read also: IPL 2025 auction: All you need to know

Gould explained that while the ECB values players’ involvement in franchise cricket, it’s crucial for top players to be available for England’s bilateral and ICC international matches, especially given the multi-year central contracts in place.

"Look, we're always very keen when our players are able to pursue other opportunities. But of course, as you'll have seen, as we've gone into multi-year central contracts, it's extremely important that our top players, both men and women, are available, able, and willing to play for England when we have bilateral or ICC internationals that we're competing in," Gould added. 

The issue of recalling players has likely already been addressed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with the ECB.