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Jay Shah and Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP and X)
As the franchise cricket is growing in recent times, several International cricket boards have shown interest in multi-nation tournaments. In a recent development, it was in the news that Cricket Ireland was planning to launch a new multi-nation tournament called the Euro Nations Cup.
The idea was to create a competition similar in spirit to the Asia Cup, but focused on European teams. The concept was being driven by Brian MacNeice, who believes the region had enough competitive sides to sustain a regular tournament.
Euro Nations Cup was floated recently
Proposed participants for Euro Nations Cup included England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy, but India was missing.
The tournament was expected to be played in the T20 format, with both men’s and women’s competitions.
"I've had this on the table for discussion with various stakeholders for quite some time. It's something that I'm very passionate about and that I fundamentally believe in." MacNeice said on Friday,
"The conversations have now developed and evolved to a point that I'm much more confident that it is going to happen… There's multiple stakeholders that will be part of that in due course, but I would anticipate that it will kick off in the summer of '27, and the precise format and detail of it will be announced in due course - I would expect in the next couple of months.
England rejected the idea of the Euro Nations Cup
Despite the proposal for the Euro Nations Cup, a major hurdle appeared. The England and Wales Cricket Board had expressed reservations about adding another tournament to an already crowded schedule.
Chief executive Richard Gould acknowledged that the concept has merit but made it clear that England's calendar leaves little room for additional commitments.
With international tours and global events already lined up, fitting in another multi-team tournament appears difficult.
"I've had this on the table for discussion with various stakeholders for quite some time. It's something that I'm very passionate about and that I fundamentally believe in. The conversations have now developed and evolved to a point that I'm much more confident that it is going to happen… There are multiple stakeholders that will be part of that in due course, but I would anticipate that it will kick off in the summer of '27,” MacNeice was quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
England’s participation was crucial for the tournament's commercial success, particularly in attracting broadcasters and sponsors. Without them, the competition could struggle to gain the limelight.
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Africa plans its own T20 competition without India
At the same time, similar developments are taking place in African nations. According to recent exclusive reports from Cricket Financial Journal, a new T20 tournament is being created that could eventually evolve into a continental championship.
The initial step is likely to be a tri-series involving the South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. This mini-event is expected to expand into a larger Africa Cup with six teams. It is important that India's absence is significant as well.
The long-term plan includes a qualification system to bring in emerging sides, making the tournament more interesting. While there had been earlier attempts at similar competitions, financial and sponsorship issues limited their success.
Jay Shah's ICC Under watch as global tournaments expand
These developments have placed the Jay Shah's ICC in the spotlight. Any tournament involving three or more multiple international teams require the governing body's approval.
The Asia Cup which has India has long been the only major continental tournament of its kind, and new proposed competitions in Africa could challenge its unique position. It would be interesting to see whether the Jay Shah led by ICC will regulate and support these emerging events.
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