A European Twenty20 cricket league featuring franchises from Scotland, Ireland and Holland – the sport’s equivalent of rugby union’s Pro14 competition – could launch this year, Telegraph Sport has learnt.

The boards of Scotland, Ireland and Holland are in talks about creating a new tournament called the Euro Cricket League, the first cross-nation T20 league of its kind.

Telegraph Sport understands that the league could be funded by Mercuri, which bankrolled the inaugural Global T20 Canada league last year. It is believed that the Indian sports marketing company would pay the three boards an annual fee in return for organising the competition.

The first Euro Cricket League is envisaged to run from August to September this year, featuring six franchises. If that proves too soon – and there remain financial and operational challenges – the league could begin in 2020.

It is planned that Scotland, Ireland and Holland would each have two franchises in the tournament. Sides would be permitted five overseas players in their playing 11 for each game, including one from an associate nation, and up to seven overseas players in their squads.

The boards hope that the league would attract leading T20 players, with those developing their careers especially likely to be drawn to it.