Last year, the ICC appointed a working group led by former New Zealand cricketer Roger Twose to make recommendations on a new structure for the WTC. The WTC is currently in its fourth cycle, and while it appears likely the ICC will retain the existing structure for the next one (2027-29), one of the recommendations is expanding it to 12 teams, bringing in the remaining Full Members – Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan. The recommendation will go to the CEC first before being taken up by the board.
The ICC’s current Future Tours Programme (FTP) ends next March with the WTC final scheduled in England in June 2027. While the FTP comprises bilateral series negotiated between the member countries, the ICC ratifies the final structure.
The ICC hopes the discussions progress significantly, though it is not expected to finalise a new structure in the May meetings. However, the ICC could take a decisive step by the time of its annual general meeting scheduled for July in Edinburgh post the women’s T20 World Cup which will be played in England from June 12 to July 5.
The May meetings are part of the quarterly ones the ICC holds every year and were originally scheduled for March-April. They were scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar but had to be rescheduled due to the West Asia crisis.
With the board meeting now relocated to Ahmedabad, the nature of Pakistan Cricket Board’s participation is unclear. Ordinarily, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB head, would be expected to attend in person. But because of the tense relations between the governments of India and Pakistan as well as their cricket boards, it is not currently known whether Naqvi will travel across the border or attend virtually.
