<p>The proliferation of domestic Twenty20 leagues poses a threat to international cricket and the game must find a way to balance both, according to South Africa's former captain Faf du Plessis.</p>.<p>All top cricket playing nations - including Australia, India, England, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - have their own T20 leagues. The West Indies, which groups several Caribbean islands and other territories, also has its own league.</p>.<p>"I think it's a threat for the international game - the power of the leagues that are growing year by year," du Plessis, who is a familiar face in such franchise leagues himself and is in Abu Dhabi for the Pakistan Super League T20 competition, told a virtual news conference on Sunday.</p>.<p>"If it becomes a choice moving forward into the future, then it can be a real threat for the international game."</p>.<p>Du Plessis pointed out how several West Indies players chose franchise cricket over national duty and felt several South African cricketers could go down that road.</p>.<p>"Maybe in 10 years time, cricket will be almost like soccer, where you have your world events and in between you just have these leagues around the world," the 36-year-old said.</p>.<p>"There needs to be a way somehow you can try and work with both.</p>.<p>"Otherwise, I think the strength of other tournaments is growing insanely quick at the moment. It is right now potentially a danger for international cricket."</p>.<p>The batsman identified defending champions West Indies as the favourite at this year's T20 World Cup to be organised by India.</p>.<p>"If you look at teams with good firepower and experience, you have to look at West Indies and the fact that they have brought back all their players, almost given them a directive to try and be the team that wins three times," he said.</p>.<p>"All the guys you wouldn't have seen playing much of international cricket will be back - Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell."</p>
<p>The proliferation of domestic Twenty20 leagues poses a threat to international cricket and the game must find a way to balance both, according to South Africa's former captain Faf du Plessis.</p>.<p>All top cricket playing nations - including Australia, India, England, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - have their own T20 leagues. The West Indies, which groups several Caribbean islands and other territories, also has its own league.</p>.<p>"I think it's a threat for the international game - the power of the leagues that are growing year by year," du Plessis, who is a familiar face in such franchise leagues himself and is in Abu Dhabi for the Pakistan Super League T20 competition, told a virtual news conference on Sunday.</p>.<p>"If it becomes a choice moving forward into the future, then it can be a real threat for the international game."</p>.<p>Du Plessis pointed out how several West Indies players chose franchise cricket over national duty and felt several South African cricketers could go down that road.</p>.<p>"Maybe in 10 years time, cricket will be almost like soccer, where you have your world events and in between you just have these leagues around the world," the 36-year-old said.</p>.<p>"There needs to be a way somehow you can try and work with both.</p>.<p>"Otherwise, I think the strength of other tournaments is growing insanely quick at the moment. It is right now potentially a danger for international cricket."</p>.<p>The batsman identified defending champions West Indies as the favourite at this year's T20 World Cup to be organised by India.</p>.<p>"If you look at teams with good firepower and experience, you have to look at West Indies and the fact that they have brought back all their players, almost given them a directive to try and be the team that wins three times," he said.</p>.<p>"All the guys you wouldn't have seen playing much of international cricket will be back - Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell."</p>