WTC Changes Might Wait for ICC Board Meeting

The big changes to the World Test Championship (WTC) may have to wait. The ICC Board will likely decide on this matter, not the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC).

The CEC will meet online on May 21. But according to sources, the meeting agenda does not include any men’s cricket topic. The focus will be on women’s cricket and commercial matters like data selling and mobile gaming.

The Board will meet in Ahmedabad on May 30 and 31. That is where the real decision will happen. Directors will talk about the working group’s suggestions led by Roger Twose.

The group recommended adding three more teams to the WTC. This would take the total from 9 to 12 teams. Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe could join the championship. The group also said that one-Test series should be part of the WTC.

These changes are not easy to accept. There is a big problem. Afghanistan does not play bilateral cricket with Australia, England, or even Pakistan now. But under the points system, they could do well by playing one-off Tests against weaker teams.

Beating India is hard for Afghanistan. But they may easily beat Bangladesh, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. This situation worries many people. So for now, expanding the WTC to 12 teams seems very difficult.

The ICC has hired a company called Oliver Wyman to help with data monetisation. They will also talk about mobile gaming. But there are some challenges. Many cricket boards and players are linked to the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). The ICC does not want to engage with this group.

An ICC team has gone to Sri Lanka. They want to discuss the dissolution of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The sports minister appointed a new temporary body under a special law. ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwaja and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia will meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The new panel includes famous names like Roshan Mahanama, Sidath Wettimuny, and Kumar Sangakkara.

                                               

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