The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board convened in Dubai, shortly after New Zealand’s triumph in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Key decisions were made to shape the future of international cricket, particularly with a focus on boosting women’s cricket. Below are the highlights from the meeting:
Women’s Cricket Initiatives
To enhance the competitiveness of women’s Associate Member (AM) teams, the ICC Board has greenlit a series of T20 competitions aimed at strengthening the pathway for these teams. These competitions are set to run from 2025 to 2028, providing crucial match experience and structure for 24 teams. This initiative is part of the build-up to the expanded 16-team ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled for 2030.
Two annual T20 International tournaments will be introduced, with further details to follow in the coming months. These steps are aligned with the ICC’s broader strategy to elevate the quality of women’s cricket at the associate level ahead of the 2028-2031 cycle.
Additionally, the ICC Board has approved the 2025-2029 Women’s Future Tours Program (FTP) and calendar, with the full schedule to be released soon. To accommodate the growing number of international matches, the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) has updated the criteria for the annual Women’s rankings, moving the update from 1 October to 1 May each year. Teams will now be required to have played a minimum of eight matches, up from six.
Also Read: New Zealand Wins First ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Title Against South Africa
Furthermore, the CEC confirmed the criteria for ODI status for Associate Member women’s teams in the 2025-2029 cycle. Two Associate Member teams that qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025 will be granted ODI status, while the remaining slots will be based on T20I rankings during the annual update.
Governance and Appointments
In governance matters, the ICC Board has proposed a change to the tenure of the ICC Chair and Independent Director, recommending a limit of two terms of three years each. This proposal will be circulated among ICC members for approval.
There were also new appointments to key committees. Scott Weenink has been appointed as the Full Member representative on the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee, while Scott Edwards will serve as the Associate Member representative. In the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. John Maclean has taken over from Dr. Roger Hawkes, who has retired.
These decisions reflect the ICC’s ongoing commitment to the development of global cricket, with particular emphasis on advancing women’s participation and ensuring effective governance. Further updates and announcements are expected in the coming days.
