The International Cricket Council (ICC) is gearing up for its inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) under new chairman Jay Shah, scheduled to take place in Singapore from 17 July. This four-day summit marks a significant milestone, being the first ICC meeting since the appointment of new CEO Sanjog Gupta.
The gathering is expected to address several pivotal topics that could shape the future of international cricket.
One of the most talked-about agenda items is the proposed two-tier Test cricket system. Under this model, teams would be divided into different levels, with promotion and relegation mechanisms allowing weaker teams to drop to a lower tier, while top teams like India, England, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand could move up.
FOLLOW US ON OUR FB PAGE
Importantly, this change would not impact the ongoing World Test Championship cycle (2025-27), but would potentially be implemented after the 2027 cycle, with Australia and England reportedly supporting this initiative.
On the T20 front, discussions are likely to focus on expanding the ICC T20 World Cup. Currently, 20 teams participate, but plans are underway to increase this to 24 teams post-2026. This move aims to promote global growth of cricket and provide more nations with exposure on cricket’s biggest stage.
Additionally, the ICC’s plans to reintroduce cricket into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be on the agenda, with final qualification formats still to be determined.
Financial and governance issues are also expected to feature prominently. The controversies surrounding last year’s T20 World Cup, particularly regarding overspending and financial mismanagement in the USA and West Indies, have raised concerns.
ALSO READ — Cricket in LA28: Dates, Squad details and Gold Medal match revealed
These issues led to the resignation of former ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, and Sanjog Gupta is expected to provide a comprehensive update.
Finally, the meeting will address membership expansions, including Zambia’s potential return as an Associate Member and the possible induction of East Timor. The election of Associate Members to the Chief Executives Committee (CEC) is also on the agenda.
As the first AGM under Jay Shah’s leadership, this meeting is poised to set the tone for the ICC’s future direction, reflecting his vision for global cricket growth and governance.