Why The Latest ICC Conference Might Define Cricket’s Next 10 Years — 6 Major Takeaways Discussed

The ICC’s Annual Conference in Singapore wasn’t just another round of boardroom meetings, it felt like a turning point. With cricket’s formats being stretched in every direction and franchise leagues growing louder and bigger, the game’s leaders had plenty on their plate.

Over four days, some of the most powerful voices in the sport, including new ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta and Chair Jay Shah, gathered to tackle big questions: Where is Test cricket really headed? Can ODIs survive outside the World Cup? And how do you protect international cricket when players are hopping from one T20 league to another?

There were no sweeping announcements or overnight fixes, but important conversations took place. A new working group has been formed, featuring representatives from India, England, Australia, and even smaller boards like Zimbabwe and Namibia. Their job: rethink the structure of the game across all three formats. From the possibility of splitting Test cricket into two divisions to the idea of capping how many franchise leagues a player can join in a year, nothing was off the table. Even the once-hyped T10 format seems to be fading quietly into the background.

In many ways, this conference felt like cricket taking a breath before a possible reset. Here are six big takeaways from the ICC’s week in Singapore that could shape how the game looks over the next decade.

Major Takeaways From The Annual ICC Conference

1. Two‑Tier Test Structure Set for 2027–29 WTC Cycle

• A new ICC working group is exploring splitting Test-playing nations into two divisions of six teams each with promotion and relegation.
• Aimed at increasing competitiveness and context, though Big Three reluctance to risk demotion could be a sticking point.
• Likely structure: India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka in Division 1; others in Division 2.

2. Four‑Day Tests Likely for Smaller Nations

• ICC considering formalising four-day Test matches, especially for financially-strained Full Members.
• Would help reduce hosting costs and allow more frequent scheduling of bilateral series without bloated calendars.
• Five-day Tests to remain for marquee series.

3. T20 World Cup Expansion & Global Champions League

• ICC aims to expand the T20 World Cup to 32 teams eventually, possibly via a 24-team intermediate stage.
• A T20 Champions Cup for franchise teams is in the works — similar to a club World Cup — involving top leagues like IPL, BBL, MLC, etc.
• No official timeline yet, but strong interest from major boards.

4. T10 Format Shelved for Now

• Despite league-level interest, the ICC has no plans to sanction T10 as an official international format.
• Viewed as too crowded in a saturated market, especially with T20 already dominating.

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5. ODI Future Unclear But Super League Could Return

• No expansion planned beyond 14-team 2027 ODI World Cup.
• Discussions ongoing about reviving the 13-team ODI Super League as a qualification tool.
• ODI World Cup remains commercially strong but bilateral ODIs face waning interest.

6. Franchise League Participation Cap Under Consideration

• ICC is examining whether to cap the number of franchise T20 leagues a player can participate in annually.
• Aimed at addressing:
  • Player burnout
  • Integrity concerns (due to league overlaps)
  • Talent drain from smaller nations
• The working group will evaluate models for player availability regulation across global leagues.

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