Arabic version: كوان يحذّر من التسرع في خصخصة دوري بيغ باش

According to ABC News, former Australian Test opener and Cricket NSW board member Ed Cowan has warned that the Big Bash League should not rush into privatisation, saying the move could “spiral out of control”. Cricket Australia earlier confirmed an opt-in model allowing states to take BBL teams to market and potentially sell stakes or entire franchises to private investors.

Cowan told the ABC Cricket Podcast that concerns over a player exodus to competing T20 leagues were premature. He said the competition had already been able to reshape scheduling, international-star arrangements and the salary cap, with no friction in attracting leading players. Former England captain Ben Stokes is set to join the Adelaide Strikers for BBL16, while Finn Allen has signed a mega deal.

“So the argument that is put forward is we’re gonna lose players to the South African League. We haven’t lost one yet,” Cowan said. He said there was a view the business could be run more effectively, allowing time to determine whether selling “star assets” was necessary. “Because when you start burning the furniture to warm the house, it can spiral quickly out of control from there,” he said.

The BBL has shortened its fixture in recent seasons, increasing viewership and attracting prominent domestic and international players. Its 2025/26 season included Colin Munro, Chris Jordan, Muhammed Rizwan and Sam Billings, as well as Australian Test players Steve Smith, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc after their international commitments.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said privatisation was needed to help the BBL compete with leagues including England’s The Hundred and South Africa’s SA20. He said Australian players could have opportunities to play elsewhere under potentially larger salary caps, adding that the challenges were already “on our doorstep”. Cricket NSW has been the most vocal opponent of the current model.