Report calls for international windows in cricket

According to a significant report from the global players’ union, specific windows in the calendar for international games are among the improvements required for cricket to thrive globally.

With the rise of T20 leagues, the World Cricketers’ Association has released a six-month review of the elite level structure of the sport, claiming that the current state “puts the future of the international game in danger.”

The report recommends four short, annual international matches, with longer international matches or T20 leagues being available for the remainder of the year.

It also recommends divisions for each of the three international competitions, with promotion and relegation after the two-year cycles are over. This would also serve as the criteria for competing in major tournaments and competitions.

There are a number of positive cricket trends, but there is no denying that the world cricket is about to change, according to Paul Marsh, the committee’s chair.

The report was compiled after speaking with 64 industry stakeholders, including current and former administrators, media outlets, and prestigious players like Jos Buttler, Heather Knight, and Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain.

It criticizes the international leadership of the sport and calls for the ‘modernization’ of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ICC appears to have been reluctant to discuss the initial findings and recommendations. One executive from an Indian Premier League franchise was also allowed to contribute, along with the other senior figures from the game’s global powerhouse.

The three biggest cricketing nations, England, India, and Australia, who according to the report claim to control 83% of global revenue, are at the forefront of the report’s emphasis.

The suggested changes, which also include a global growth and development fund and an equal share of revenue, “ensure the survival of international cricket,” “create an “easier to follow” calendar, and increase revenue by $ 240 million (£196 million), are claimed to increase revenue.

National boards are currently largely left to plan their own tours within the Future Tours Programme, while lucrative T20 franchise leagues dominate the remainder of the year.

Set windows, according to the report, would allow internationals to “coexist” with T20 leagues rather than compete against them, ensuring its future survival.

Additionally, it asserts that a structure overhaul that includes divisions with promotion and relegation across the board would give more context, risk, and interest.

As players, Knight, who was sacked as England captain last week, acknowledged that we have a responsibility to the game and that we are interested in seeing it succeed.

“A unified sport will produce better outcomes than a disjointed sport,” says the statement.

Rashid Khan, an Afghan leg-spinner, said: “I want to see it be strong and sustainable in more than just a few nations.

We urge the game’s leadership to take action based on the data and suggestions in this report.