The International Cricket Council (ICC)'s four-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) begins today, Thursday, and will address several key issues in detail.
Sports News: The International Cricket Council (ICC)'s four-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) begins today, Thursday. Significant decisions regarding the future of Test cricket may be made in this important meeting. There will be a renewed and serious discussion on the long-debated two-tier Test system. Along with this, issues like the expansion of the T20 World Cup and granting ICC membership to some new countries will also be included in the main agenda of this meeting.
The meeting will be chaired by the new ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, and the newly appointed CEO, Sanjog Gupta. The meeting is taking place at a time when the new cycle (2025-2027) of the World Test Championship (WTC) has begun.
Major changes possible in Test cricket
The most important issue in this ICC meeting will be the two-tier structure of Test cricket. This is directly related to revenue distribution, promotion, and relegation. That is, teams that do not perform well may be sent to a lower level, while teams that perform exceptionally well will get a chance to play at a higher level.
This model is being supported by major boards like the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA). This system can provide more opportunities to smaller countries and new Test-playing teams. However, according to ICC sources, there will be no changes in the current World Test Championship cycle. The new system may be implemented after 2027.
More participating nations in the T20 World Cup
The ICC will also consider the expansion of the T20 World Cup in this AGM. So far, 20 teams have been playing in this tournament, but serious deliberation is going on to increase it to 24 teams in the future. However, a final decision on this may be delayed until the beginning of next year. The format of 20 teams will remain in place until the 2026 T20 World Cup. But the return of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the qualification of new teams like Italy are considered to be the major reasons behind this expansion.
The ICC sees the growing interest in cricket in countries like Italy as an opportunity to reach new markets and make cricket a global sport. This is why a strategy is being made to make the T20 World Cup bigger.
No plans for changes in the One Day World Cup for now
While the ICC is taking an aggressive approach to the T20 format, there are currently no plans for any expansion of the 50-over World Cup. The One Day World Cup will continue to be held within the existing structure. This time, the AGM may also consider giving full membership or associate membership to some new member countries in the ICC.
The ICC is looking for new markets to expand cricket globally. This is why some new names from Europe, America, and African countries may be added to the membership list.
Focus on Jay Shah and the ICC's new vision
This is the first major AGM under the leadership of the new ICC Chairman, Jay Shah. Shah has the big responsibility of taking the sport to new markets, apart from including cricket in the Olympics. Under Jay Shah's leadership, the ICC is rapidly connecting with global organizations. Since becoming the ICC Chairman in December 2024, Shah has also shown activity in sports diplomacy by meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and former IOC chief Thomas Bach at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Greece.
The popularity of the T20 format is also giving recognition to cricket in those countries where it was never present. New markets in America, Europe, and Africa have become very important for the ICC. This is why the ICC wants to add more countries by expanding the T20 World Cup to 24 teams. This can lead to a big increase in ICC's earnings from broadcasting, sponsorship, and advertising.
