ICC to discuss future of World Test Championship: Details here
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to discuss the future of the World Test Championship (WTC) in its upcoming meetings next week, as per ESPNcricinfo. The discussions will be led by a working group headed by New Zealand cricketer Roger Twose, which was formed last year to recommend changes for the WTC's structure. The ICC's chief executives committee (CEC) will hold a virtual meeting on May 21.
Meeting details
Current WTC cycle ending in June 2027
The ICC Board will then meet in person in Ahmedabad during the IPL final weekend, from May 30-31. The current WTC cycle is nearing its end, with the final scheduled for June 2027 in England. Although the ICC is likely to stick with the current structure for the next cycle (2027-29), there are suggestions to expand it to include all Full Members: Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan.
Series inclusion
Proposed changes for WTC
The proposed changes also suggest that Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan be allowed to compete in the WTC. Another recommendation is to consider one-Test series for WTC points. Currently, the nine Full Members schedule their WTC commitments bilaterally with three home and three away series over two years, each having a minimum of two Tests per series.
FTP ratification
Future Tours Programme (FTP)
The ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP), which ends next March, consists of bilateral series negotiated between member boards. However, the final structure is ratified by the ICC. Despite not finalizing a new structure in May meetings, the ICC hopes to make significant progress. A decisive step could be taken by its annual general meeting scheduled for July in Edinburgh after the women's T20 World Cup from June 12-July 5 in England.
Meeting reschedule
ICC May meetings
The May meetings are part of the ICC's quarterly sessions and were originally scheduled for March-April. They were supposed to be held in Doha, Qatar but had to be rescheduled due to the West Asia crisis. Now, with the board meeting moved to Ahmedabad, it remains unclear how Pakistan Cricket Board will participate.