The ICC’s Annual General Meeting signals potential overhaul of the Test format, increased focus on T20 growth, and raises accountability questions around USA Cricket’s management.
The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Annual General Meeting (AGM) is underway in Singapore, and according to multiple reports, the sport’s global governing body is navigating one of its most consequential periods. With a new leadership duo — Jay Shah as Chair and Sanjog Gupta recently appointed as CEO — the ICC is tackling a sweeping agenda that includes a potential two-tier Test system, the expansion of the T20 World Cup, Olympic qualification formats, USA Cricket’s governance crisis, and the return of suspended members.
The AGM, running through Sunday, is not expected to yield immediate resolutions on major reforms, but early-stage discussions are underway that could reshape cricket’s structure in the coming years.
This year’s Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) election has been drawing attention, particularly with three coveted Associate Member positions up for grabs.
The election took place at the open of the AGM and the winning three were: Gurumurthy Palani (France), Anuraag Bhatnagar (Hong Kong), and Gurdeep Klair (Canada)
The other candidates were: incumbent Sumod Damodar (Botswana) who was seeking re-election, Tim Cutler (Vanuatu), Sankar Renganathan (Sierra Leone), Stella Siale (Samoa), and Sarah Gomersall (Jersey).
T20 World Cup expansion gaining momentum
Discussions around white-ball cricket are also heating up — particularly concerning the men’s T20 World Cup. With 20 teams currently competing and no plans to increase the size of the 50-over World Cup, an expansion to 24 teams in future T20 editions is being actively considered.
Olympics qualification format still undecided
As cricket prepares for its Olympic comeback at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, qualification pathways are another item on the AGM agenda. The current debate centers around whether ICC T20 rankings or regional qualifying tournaments — or a hybrid model — will determine which nations make the cut.
The men’s and women’s T20 tournaments will feature six teams each, and while the U.S. is expected to earn a spot in one of the tournaments as host, discussions continue over the best method to ensure fairness and inclusivity without overburdening cricket’s packed calendar.
USA Cricket under scrutiny, potential suspension looms
USA Cricket’s troubled governance has once again come under the spotlight. The body, already placed “on notice” at last year’s AGM, risks suspension from ICC membership — a move that would impact both funding and participation in global events.
USA Cricket board chair Venu Pisike continues to defy mounting pressure from both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to overhaul the sport’s leadership in the country, and outright suspension of USA Cricket is on the table in Singapore.
Report from 2024 T20 World Cup’s US leg
Concerns have intensified following an internal audit into the financial and operational handling of the USA leg of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which hosted 16 of 55 matches. The $30 million Nassau County International Stadium in Long Island — rapidly constructed and later dismantled — drew criticism for its pitch quality and escalating costs.
The inquiry, led by deputy chair Imran Khwaja, has reportedly been completed, and findings are expected to be shared during the AGM. Accusations of mismanagement and overspending during the event is widely believed to have contributed to the resignation of multiple former ICC executives in the months following the event.
|
