Carlos Brathwaite is a Barbadian international cricketer and former captain of the West Indies T20I team. An all-rounder, he powered the West Indies to victory in the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, where he famously struck four consecutive sixes to win the final. Beyond international cricket, Brathwaite has played in top franchise leagues around the world, including the IPL, PSL, BBL, The Hundred, ILT20, LPL, and BPL. Off the field, he is an entrepreneur and the founder of Quoin Labs.
If you love cricket or work in it you’ve probably asked yourself at some point:
“Wait, who’s playing where this week?”
Welcome to the increasingly chaotic world of franchise cricket, where there’s no off-season, no breathing room, and no real structure. Players are bouncing from one country to another, fans are confused, and boards are fighting for scraps of attention. Right now, it feels like every one for themself.
And while that may work in the short term, it’s not sustainable for players, not ideal for broadcasters, and certainly not fair to fans who still love their national teams. It’s time for some order.
All franchise leagues are not created equal, and that’s perfectly fine. What we need is a system that reflects reality. I have broken the top franchise leagues into two tiers.
Tier 1 leagues : IPL, BBL, PSL, SA20, ILT20 — have earned the right to sit atop the global calendar. They command global attention, attract the best players, and drive serious economic activity. These tournaments should be given dedicated windows with minimal international cricket scheduled alongside them. That focus benefits everyone, fans, players, and cricket boards alike.
Tier 2 leagues :BPL, CPL, MLC, The Hundred, LPL — remain critical to the development of the game in emerging economies. They can run alongside bilateral series and other international tours without destabilising the calendar. Not every league needs a solo spotlight; some shine brighter in partnership.
This isn’t a 2025 problem. It’s been building for years.
When I think back to 2016, the year I’ll always be remembered for what happened on April 3rd at Eden Gardens, one thing that sticks with me is what came after. Exactly one week later, I was playing my first IPL match. I travelled from Kolkata to Delhi to join my new team, barely two days after lifting the T20 World Cup trophy.
I hadn’t even processed what had just happened. I hadn’t closed the chapter on that emotional, career-defining night and yet I was walking into a new dressing room, prepping to face some of the best players in the world in one of the most intense tournaments in world cricket.
No pause. No space. No closure.
That whirlwind isn’t unique to me. It’s the norm for most modern cricketers. And while the game has grown, the structure hasn’t caught up.
What I’m proposing isn’t radical, it’s reasonable.
We need clean international windows. May-June and October-November could be set aside for Test series, ICC tournaments, and bilateral white-ball tours. These are sacred spaces where players represent their countries without franchise distractions, where fans reconnect with the national colours, and where the game breathes again.
ICC tournaments can rotate in these slots depending on hemispheres, ensuring everyone gets their moment; whether it’s a World Test Championship final at Lord’s or a Champions Trophy in South Africa.
International cricket is finally protected, not squeezed into leftover slots. It brings rhythm to the year. Predictability for broadcasters, security for players and a clearer story for fans to follow. Cricket doesn’t need fewer leagues. It just needs smarter planning. Let’s move from chaos to calendar.
