IPL and other T20 franchise leagues ‘pose threat to ECB’s financial future’

Jos Buttler is among the England players much coveted by franchise teams. Photograph: Anupam Nath/AP

The ECB has warned of the potentially cataclysmic impact of the rising power of overseas franchises such as the IPL while the appeal of Test cricket declines.

English cricket’s governing body said the “emergence and growth of global franchise leagues” and “the status of Test cricket globally” pose major risks to its business model in its latest accounts, published on Wednesday.