The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the formation of a dedicated Working Group to address and deliberate on key global cricketing matters. These include the structural framework of various formats of the game and the qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Additionally, the board confirmed that the minimum age for senior international cricket will remain 15, with scope for exceptions under special circumstances.
This decision came after affirming key takeaways before the event, with a meeting being held of the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) in Singapore on Friday (July 18). The key takeaway of the meeting was the urgency to expedite the formation of the long-awaited Working Group, which is set to form as early as Saturday during the ICC Board meeting.
The Working Group, comprising both the CEC and ICC Board members, will operate under defined terms of reference, with a primary focus on recommending a qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. While rankings have emerged as the preferred method among key stakeholders in the ICC circle under the leadership of Jay Shah, the final decision has been deferred to the Working Group.
There have been proposals from certain quarters to conduct a qualifying tournament. However, due to tight scheduling and the already congested Future Tours Programme (FTP), such a proposal is viewed as logistically challenging. The ICC will nonetheless instruct the Working Group to evaluate all potential methods of qualification. If the Group recommends a ranking-based approach, it must also suggest an appropriate cut-off date. Notably, LA28 has allocated only six team slots each for the men’s and women’s categories to participate in the quadrennial Games.
The continuous proposal for a two-tier Test structure was not discussed by the CEC on Friday. However, it is anticipated that the Working Group will be entrusted with evaluating whether the traditional format requires any structural overhaul. In addition, the Group is also expected to review and, if necessary, recommend modifications to the formats of ODIs and T20Is.
The meeting, presided over by newly appointed CEO Sanjog Gupta, reaffirmed that the minimum age for participation in international cricket will remain 15, in line with the ICC Medical Advisory Committee’s recommendation. However, the CEC agreed that exceptions may be made under extraordinary circumstances. Additionally, the committee approved the decision to invite tenders for mobile gaming rights. The meeting was also chaired by ex-officio member Jay Shah.
Meanwhile, it is also understood that the ICC Board is set to address the future of USA Cricket (USAC). The Normalisation Committee, following a recent visit to the United States, has recommended the resignation of the current USAC leadership. However, reports suggest internal resistance from some USAC members. With the Olympic Games approaching and set to be hosted in the US, the outcome of this decision holds considerable significance.
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