Performances in big-money ILT20 will NOT be recorded on players' T20 records

SAM MORSHEAD: ICC regulations state that T20 competitions hosted by non-Full Members cannot be attributed List A T20 status, and the ICC recently confirmed to statisticians that no special exemption will be made for the big-money tournament

Sam Morshead | 03/01/2023 at 12:24

The International League T20 may be attracting some of the world's top short-format players, but none of their efforts in the competition will go down on their formal T20 records.

ICC regulations state that T20 competitions hosted by non-Full Members cannot be attributed List A T20 status, and the global governing body recently confirmed to statisticians that no special exemption will be made for the big-money tournament in the UAE, which is set to have its inaugural run later this month.

So, if Andre Russell clubs a 20-ball ton for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, or Trent Boult claims all 10 wickets in an innings for MI Emirates, their achievements will be relegated to the "miscellaneous" or "other T20" columns of statisticians' databases - effectively a similar statistical level to a club match in the UK.

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^{Andre Russell is set to play in the ILT20 [Getty Images]}

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^{Moeen Ali will turn out in the competition [Getty Images]}

As a result, none of the major T20 world records can be broken.

"The UAE ILT20 has been sanctioned by the ICC but List A T20 status will not be granted to this event as it does not meet the criteria in the regulations," an ICC spokesperson told The Cricketer.

Had the ICC granted the ILT20 List A T20 status, a precedent would have been set for similar competitions of all sizes around the world.

It is not the first time a major new T20 venture has experienced such a hitch.

In June and July 2018, the Global T20 Canada - which boasted stars such as Chris Gayle and Steve Smith - was not recognised as a full T20 tournament.

The Fairbreak International - a women's competition hosted in Dubai last year - was also not given the status.

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^{Sunil Narine's efforts in The Hundred go against his T20 record, but his work in the ILT20 will not [Getty Images]}

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^{Joe Root has been signed by Dubai Capitals [Getty Images]}

By curious contrast, T20 records can be broken by teams and players in The Hundred, while all T20 international fixtures have List A T20 status.

The ILT20 will permit up to nine overseas players per side, with several Indian Premier League franchise owners buying teams.

Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Alex Hales and Wanindu Hasaranga are among the big names set to feature in the competition, which is due to start on January 13.