WTC restructuring may be left to ICC Board

The restructuring of the World Test Championship (WTC), or otherwise, may be left to the International Cricket Council (ICC), and there is no indication that the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC), meeting virtually on May 21, will take up the matter. In fact, the agenda for the CEC meet, it is learnt, has no mention of men's cricket. There is, however, an item related to women's cricket, apart from a couple of commercial matters - data monetisation and mobile gaming.

Cricbuzz understands that the matter is being left to the Board, which will meet in Ahmedabad on May 30 and 31, and any decision on the recommendations of the working group under Roger Twose will be taken by the all-powerful directors. The working group is understood to have recommended the inclusion of Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in the WTC cycle and has also suggested that one-Test series be included as part of the championship.

On the face of it, adopting the recommendations appears challenging, primarily because it could lead to situations that may seem somewhat bizarre. Afghanistan - who are currently not engaged bilaterally by Australia, England and, more recently, even Pakistan - could theoretically end up doing well in the WTC table through the percentage-points system by playing one-off Tests against relatively weaker sides.

While beating India may still prove difficult for the Aghans, some of the other teams like Bangladesh, Ireland and Zimbabwe, may not necessarily pose a serious challenge to them. This is a situation that is being discussed and for now, the expansion of the WTC from nine to 12 teams, looks a long shot.

The ICC, meanwhile, has engaged Oliver Wyman for data monetisation and is also expected to take up the issue of mobile gaming. There are, however, challenges surrounding the matter, as some Associate boards such as Canada, Uganda and Namibia - apart from Full Member nations like Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, England and South Africa, along with some players from Afghanistan - are linked to the World Cricketers' Association (WCA), an organisation with which the ICC is not keen to engage.

Meanwhile, an ICC delegation has travelled to Sri Lanka to discuss the dissolution of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the plans of the interim body appointed by the country's sports minister under a special sports act. ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwaja and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia were to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who ordered the shake-up of the SLC administration headed by Shammi Silva.

There have been reports that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has been invited for the IPL final (on May 31) in Ahmedabad, but this website understands that the invitation is only for the ICC Board meeting and there is little likelihood of Naqvi - who is also Pakistan's interior minister - visiting India. Naqvi is instead expected to attend the Board meeting virtually.

Click here to read article