President Ali hammers India’s “control” and “market dominance” in T20 cricket

President Dr Irfaan Ali, in a fiery statement on Tuesday night, hammered India’s “control through exclusion and market dominance” in the cricket world.
Recognising India and its T20 league as a “superpower”, the Guyanese Head of State did not hold back on highlighting how mishandling such power could backfire.

He wrote in a social media post, “Dominance on the global stage comes with responsibilities that cannot be ignored. India has undeniably risen as the superpower of world cricket. It has done so not just in talent, but in technology, resources, infrastructure, finance, and administration. Simply put, India holds the cricketing nuclear button.
“Yet, I am convinced that the strategy of locking out their players from participating in other leagues will ultimately backfire. Yes, the Indian market is the largest consumer of cricket, but the global landscape is shifting. Nations like Saudi Arabia are investing strategically in sports, and such long-term diversification can quickly reshape the balance of power in cricket.
“India must urgently reconsider its approach. Control through exclusion and market dominance may yield short-term gains, but an open, level playing field is the only sustainable model for long-term growth. How India wields this period of dominance will define its place in cricketing history.
“We in the West Indies once ruled the game, creating value wherever we played. Kapil Dev himself can attest to the inspiration he drew from our cricketing spirit in Guyana – a spirit that fuelled India’s first World Cup triumph. He was quoted as saying, “I think it was wonderful. That’s where I would say India’s Cricket One Day journey started, where we beat West Indies. West Indies, during that time, was a team nobody could dream to come close to them, and we beat them in West Indies, right here in Guyana.”
“Just as the West Indies once inspired greatness in others, including a young Indian team in Guyana, we now have an opportunity to inspire a new era of global cricket, one built on collaboration rather than isolation.
“I have extended Guyana’s partnership in building a truly global Super League. Simply reviving the Champions League on its own, without meaningful partnership, is uninspiring and short-sighted. I call on the English Cricket Board, once familiar with the heights of dominance, to join this effort, for it understands better than anyone how swiftly fortune can turn and how essential it is to embrace a vision that strengthens the game for all.”
President Ali’s statement, particularly his utterances on the Global Super League model comes months after he took note that Guyana’s GSL T20 was ruffling feathers around the world, following the announcement that the Indian and English cricket boards were looking to resuscitate the T20 Champions League.