The International Cricket Council (ICC) has long been the governing body of the sport, but a recent survey conducted by the World Cricketers Association (WCA), formerly FICA, suggests that the T20 World Cup may be on course to overtake the 50-over World Cup as the most important ICC event for players around the world. Let’s have a look at the survey they did.
The survey, which polled hundreds of professional cricketers from 13 countries, revealed a significant shift in player priorities. In 2019, 85% of respondents ranked the 50-over World Cup as the most important ICC event, while only 15% chose the T20 World Cup.
However, in 2024, the trend has reversed, with 50% of players selecting the 50-over World Cup and 35% opting for the T20 World Cup. The change is even more pronounced among younger players, with those under 26 showing a marked preference for the T20 format.
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The World Cricketers Association’s chief executive, Tom Moffat, attributes this shift to the growing popularity of T20 cricket and its increasing importance in the global cricket calendar. “This Men’s T20 World Cup has been a great spectacle and our latest global player survey data continues to highlight the trend in player preferences towards T20 cricket in particular,” he said.
The World Cricketers Association’s survey also revealed that Test cricket is no longer the dominant format among players. While 82% of respondents chose Test cricket as their preferred format five years ago, only 48% now select it, with 30% opting for T20 cricket instead.
Moffat believes that the rise of T20 cricket is not limited to ICC events and is reflected more widely across the game. “The rapid evolution in the game is exciting but also presents challenges of leadership in a sport that has traditionally not come together coherently on many global issues outside of ICC events,” he said.
One of the key issues affecting the game is scheduling. Moffat argues that bilateral international cricket has been weakened by boards acting in their own self-interests and scheduling matches alongside franchise leagues.
“As an industry, we either accept there will be two parallel calendars and a split player employment market – which means international cricket isn’t going to be best vs best – or we come together to try and find a way to ensure both landscapes can co-exist, with scheduling windows and a properly structured international calendar,” he said World Cricketers Association’s chief.
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Moffat believes that players should be involved in collective discussions to address these issues and shape the future of the game. “The players drive and are invested in the game’s success, and their decisions are shaping its future,” he said.
The World Cricketers Association has recently renegotiated players’ squad terms for the next four years of ICC events, covering commercial and image rights. The new collective model is expected to benefit players from smaller nations and reflects the growing influence of players in shaping the game’s future.
The World Cricketers Association’s survey suggests that T20 cricket is increasingly becoming the most important ICC event for players around the world. The rise of T20 cricket is a trend that is unlikely to be reversed, and it will be interesting to see how the ICC and national boards respond to this shift in player priorities.
As Moffat notes, “Either way, the players should be collectively involved in decisions on game structure and regulations that impact their careers.”