The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Board convened in Dubai during the week to discuss the future structure and context of international bilateral cricket. The aim of the meeting was to explore various aspects of the game’s future structure.
The Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee had extensive discussions on several topics. These included the need for greater context for international white ball matches, which would help to increase their appeal to global audiences. Another topic of discussion was the feasibility of scheduling windows, which would ensure that there is a uniform international cricket calendar.
Additionally, the principles of the commercial arrangements underpinning the Future Tours Programme (FTP) were examined at length. By analysing these issues, the ICC aims to set a solid foundation for the future of international cricket.
ICC Chair Greg Barclay:
ICC Chair Greg Barclay shared his thoughts on the future of international cricket. He stated that the ICC Board and Committee meetings serve as a platform for discussing the long-term future of the game, and in this particular set of meetings, there was a productive discussion about the structure of the global cricket calendar.
While finding solutions is not an easy task, there is a strong commitment to exploring how context can be delivered, and further options will be considered in upcoming meetings. Despite the challenges, the ICC is dedicated to ensuring that cricket continues to thrive and evolve in a positive direction.
the stop clock will become a permanent
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has announced the decision to make the stop clock a permanent feature in all One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.
This decision has been made after the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) was presented with the results of the stop clock trial, which demonstrated that it saved approximately 20 minutes per ODI match, resulting in an improvement in the flow of the game.
In addition to this, the ICC Board has approved the playing conditions for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. It has also approved the qualification process for the 2026 edition of the event.
As a result of the improvements seen in the flow of the game, the CEC has approved the introduction of the stop clock as a mandatory playing condition in all men’s ODI and T20I matches between Full Members from 1 June 2024 onwards. This will include the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Reserve days for T20 world cup
The tournament will now include reserve days for the semi-finals and final, which ensures that the matches can continue on the following day in case of any interruption due to weather or other factors.
During the group stage and Super Eight series, a minimum of five overs will need to be bowled to the team batting second to constitute a game. However, in the knock-out stages, a minimum of ten overs will be required to be bowled to declare a winner.
Furthermore, the ICC Board has approved the qualification process for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The event will feature 12 automatic qualifiers, including the joint hosts and the top eight teams from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The remaining spots (between 2-4, depending on host finishing positions) will be filled from the next highest-ranked teams on the ICC Men’s T20I rankings table as of 30 June 2024.
Finally, the remaining eight teams will be identified through Regional Qualifiers. These teams will have to compete in qualifying tournaments in their respective regions to earn a spot in the main event.
