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Ricky Ponting believes it will be difficult to expand Australia’s domestic Twenty20 Big Bash tournament to include the world’s best players because the international schedule is so packed.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland wants to create a window for the Big Bash, which currently clashes with the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests, as well as the start of the one-day international series.

But Ponting said that while Australia’s leading players would be keen to appear in the competition, it would be “exceptionally hard” to find a date that suited everyone.

“With the Big Bash being at the time of year it is, you’re not going to get a clear window for all the international sides,” Ponting said. “The IPL [Indian Premier League] can’t get that with the sort of money that they’re throwing around, so I can’t see how it will happen, but you’ve got to keep trying.”