The ICC is set to resume discussions on the future shape of the World Test Championship (WTC) at its next round of meetings. scheduled for next week. ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC's chief executives committee (CEC) will hold a virtual meeting on May 21. followed by an in-person ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad during the IPL's final weekend on May 30-31.
Last year. the ICC appointed a working group led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose to make recommendations on a new structure for the WTC. The WTC is currently in its fourth cycle,. 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 before being taken up by the board.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo in April, the recommendations involved Zimbabwe, Ireland. Afghanistan being allowed to play and for the league to consider one-Test series for WTC points. Currently, the nine Full Members schedule their WTC commitments bilaterally, with three home. three away series over the course of two years, with a mandatory minimum of two Tests per series.
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 boards, 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. Pakistan as well as their cricket boards, it is not currently known whether Naqvi will travel across the border or attend virtually.
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