The New Map of Asian Cricket: Balance of Power, Franchise Economy and Emerging Forces

Cricket in Asia is no longer just a regional competition confined to a handful of countries. A large share of the world's cricket fans lives in Asia, and a significant portion of international cricket's revenue comes from this region as well. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates and Oman each have their own cricket culture, market and political reality. Harmonising this diversity is the biggest challenge for Asian cricket. Over the past decade, the centre of gravity in this region has gradually shifted from national team results towards franchise leagues, broadcast rights and administrative power. As a result, equations off the field now play a crucial role in shaping the direction of the game. The Asian Cricket Council, or ACC, serves as the region's apex governing body. Decision-making processes, distribution of broadcast revenue and hosting interests among member nations have long been debated. The reality is that there are wide gaps among members in financial capacity and cricket infrastructure. Consequently, influence over decisions is also unequal. Questions are frequently raised about the organisation's transparency and neutrality. Smaller member nations often complain that most decisions are taken in the interests of the larger markets. That complaint is not entirely baseless, because the revenue-sharing and commercial distribution system has historically favoured the bigger members. The Asia Cup is the region's oldest and most popular international tournament. It has been held in both one-day and T20 formats. In recent years, several procedural changes have been introduced in its organisation. Sometimes the number of matches has been increased, and sometimes decisions have been taken to stage matches at neutral venues. These changes have been driven not only by sporting considerations but also by political and commercial calculations. Differences among members over venue selection have come into the open. Some members have been unwilling to miss out on broadcast revenue and profit shares even when they could not host on their own soil. This duality is making the tournament calendar and format increasingly complex. The influence of the Indian cricket board is the strongest in this region. A large share of world cricket's total revenue comes from the Indian market. As a result, India's position also matters in International Cricket Council decisions. In Asian cricket, this influence is even more direct. In broadcast deals, tournament schedules and distribution of resources among members, the Indian board's view often becomes decisive. Critics argue that this is upsetting the balance of power. Supporters counter that a large market that contributes more naturally deserves a larger role. Resolving this debate is possible only through transparent revenue-sharing policies and clear rules for decision-making. The India-Pakistan relationship is the most sensitive issue in Asian cricket. Political tensions directly affect the cricket calendar. Bilateral series have not been held for a long time. In multilateral tournaments, too, uncertainty surrounds the two teams facing each other. The lack of communication between the two boards and the complexity of political approval are the root causes of this situation. This uncertainty not only frustrates fans of both teams but also disrupts the commercial planning of tournaments. Broadcasters and sponsors are reluctant to make large investments before schedules are finalised. As a result, one of cricket's biggest attractions remains commercially uncertain. In recent years, the so-called hybrid model of hosting multilateral tournaments has come up for discussion. The idea of staging some matches in one country and some in another has emerged mainly as a practical way of avoiding political uncertainty. However, there is criticism that this is not a long-term solution. The hybrid model puts extra strain on travel, logistics and the spectator experience. At the same time, it creates new disputes over how many matches each country will host and how revenue will be shared. Smaller member nations argue that this model protects the interests of the larger members but does little to help develop their domestic cricket. The rise of franchise leagues has transformed the economic structure of Asian cricket. The Indian Premier League is established as the world's biggest league. Alongside it, the Pakistan Super League, Lanka Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League, International League T20 and other tournaments have been launched. These leagues have expanded players' earning opportunities but have also created conflicts with national team schedules. When multiple leagues are held at the same time, players are forced to choose. This creates tension between the primacy of national teams, player rest and board control. There is regular controversy over the process of granting players permission, or no-objection certificates, to play in foreign leagues. Some boards are reluctant to allow players to go to foreign leagues, especially when national team series or camps are scheduled. Players sometimes allege that there is ambiguity and unequal treatment in granting permission. This ambiguity breeds distrust in player-board relations. Some clarity has come through International Cricket Council rules, but in practice application still varies from board to board. A coordinated and transparent NOC policy is the need of the hour for Asian cricket. Qualification rules for playing international cricket are also a major topic of discussion in this region. A large part of the expatriate workforce and migrant population in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and other Gulf countries comes from South Asia. The presence of players of South Asian origin in those national teams is therefore natural. However, questions arise over qualification periods, residency requirements and citizenship rules. Some believe that relaxing these rules would increase the competitive capacity of smaller countries. Others argue that excessive relaxation would reduce opportunities for local players. This debate needs resolution because it is tied to questions of national identity and competitive balance. The rise of Afghanistan is the most notable success story in Asian cricket. A war-ravaged country has established itself as a strong team in international cricket in a short time. Spin bowling and fearless batting are the main sources of their strength. Afghan players have gained experience in various franchise leagues, which has had a positive impact on national team performance. Nepal, meanwhile, is moving forward gradually. Although the country's cricket infrastructure and administrative capacity are limited, fan enthusiasm is exceptional. Nepal's rise shows that progress in international cricket is possible even without a large economy, given proper planning and public support. Women's cricket is expanding rapidly in Asia. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal all have women's teams participating in international competitions. The launch of women's franchise leagues has increased players' income and visibility. However, there is still a big gap compared with men's cricket in investment, broadcasting and fan support. In many countries, a safe environment, training facilities and job security for women players remain inadequate. Unless this gap is addressed, the potential of Asian women's cricket cannot be fully realised. Grassroots cricket is also uneven. In India and Pakistan, cricket has reached a vast section of the population. In Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, cricket is widely practised at school and club levels. But Afghanistan, Nepal and the Gulf countries have a limited number of grounds, coaches and competitions. Filling this gap is essential to sustaining international success. Relying only on producing star players makes it difficult to maintain success in the long run. Boards should increase investment at the grassroots level, organise school tournaments and focus on coach training. Broadcast rights and advertising revenue are the main sources of money in modern cricket. In the Asian market, the value of cricket broadcasting is rising steadily. But the benefits of this revenue do not reach all members equally. Broadcasters in large markets show little interest in matches involving smaller countries. As a result, smaller members' incomes remain limited, and they struggle to gather the resources needed to compete in international cricket. A coordinated broadcasting strategy and revenue-sharing system could reduce this inequality somewhat. Schedule congestion is another major problem. National team series, franchise leagues and international tournaments together keep players' calendars almost full throughout the year. This increases the risk of injury and fatigue. Many players have spoken publicly about mental exhaustion. The lack of coordination between boards and league organisers adds to this pressure. Scheduling with players' welfare as a priority has now become urgent. Questions also remain about governance transparency and accountability. Elections, appointments and use of funds in several member boards have been controversial. Some rules have been created in the International Cricket Council's reform process, but application is not uniform everywhere. Unless governance standards improve alongside the commercial expansion of cricket, the risk of corruption and abuse of power remains. Fan and media scrutiny can play an important role here. Overall, Asian cricket is at a critical stage. On one hand, commercial potential is enormous; on the other, imbalances of power, political uncertainty and schedule pressure are obstructing that potential. There is only one path to a solution: dialogue among members, transparent revenue sharing, player welfare and investment in grassroots cricket. If Asia's cricket leadership can reach consensus on these issues, the region will establish itself even more firmly as the centre of world cricket in the coming decade. If not, despite an abundance of talent and resources, internal disputes and unplanned expansion will prevent the region's cricket from fully realising its potential.