The International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to decide what happens with the future of the World Test Championship (WTC), with no clear sign that the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting virtually on May 21 will take up the matter. In fact, the CEC agenda reportedly contains no reference to men’s cricket, though it does include an item connected to women’s cricket plus a couple of commercial topics: data monetisation and mobile gaming.
Key takeaways
- The May 21 virtual CEC meeting is understood to have no discussion listed for men’s cricket restructuring.
- Commercial agenda items include data monetisation and mobile gaming, while women’s cricket is also flagged.
- A working group chaired by Roger Twose is reported to have suggested expanding the WTC cycle to include Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, plus adding one-Test series.
- Practical concerns are being raised about how the expanded format could affect competitiveness in the WTC standings.
- Separately, reports about Pakistan PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi attending the IPL final in Ahmedabad are not expected to materialise; he is likely to join the ICC Board meeting virtually.
What the WTC working group is recommending
The issue is expected to be taken up by the ICC Board, which will convene in Ahmedabad on May 30 and May 31. Any final call on the recommendations coming from the working group under Roger Twose is set to be decided by the directors.
The working group’s proposals, as understood, include adding Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe to the WTC cycle. It has also suggested that a one-Test series format be incorporated as part of the championship structure.
However, the recommendations are viewed as difficult to implement cleanly. The potential match-ups could produce results that appear unusual to fans, especially when tournament positions are calculated through a percentage-points system.
Afghanistan, who are currently not involved in bilateral engagements with major Test nations such as Australia and England—and more recently even Pakistan—could, in theory, climb the WTC table by posting good returns in isolated one-off Tests against comparatively less formidable opponents. While winning against India would still be a major challenge for the Aghans, other teams that might be considered more reachable—such as Bangladesh, Ireland and Zimbabwe—may not necessarily provide the same level of resistance.
Because of these concerns, the expansion of the WTC from nine teams to 12 is being treated, for now, as a long shot.
Data monetisation, mobile gaming and ICC governance
Alongside the competition format debate, the ICC has engaged Oliver Wyman to work on data monetisation initiatives. The ICC is also expected to move forward on the question of mobile gaming, as part of a broader commercial push.
There are, though, complications. Some Associate boards—such as Canada, Uganda and Namibia—are also linked to the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). That includes Full Member countries as well, including Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, England and South Africa, plus some players from Afghanistan. The ICC is reportedly not keen to engage with the WCA, creating a potential friction point as discussions progress.
ICC talks in Sri Lanka after SLC dissolution plans
Meanwhile, an ICC delegation has travelled to Sri Lanka to discuss the dissolution of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the approach being taken by an interim body appointed under a special sports act.
ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwaja and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia were scheduled to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The President has ordered a shake-up of SLC’s administration led by Shammi Silva.
The interim body—named the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee—is headed by Eran Wickramaratne. The committee’s membership reportedly features long-time figures including Roshan Mahanama, Sidath Wettimuny and Kumar Sangakkara, among others.
Naqvi unlikely to attend IPL final despite reports
Reports suggested that Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi had been invited to the IPL final in Ahmedabad on May 31. However, the expectation is that the invitation is limited to the ICC Board meeting, with little likelihood of Naqvi—who is also Pakistan’s interior minister—travelling to India for the match.
Instead, Naqvi is expected to attend the Board meeting virtually.
