Afghanistan, the continuing India-Pakistan complexities and a new revenue distribution model will be on the agenda for a packed ICC Board meeting in Dubai later this week.
The first quarterly meeting of this year began with the women’s cricket committee on Thursday and the men’s committee on Friday. But all eyes will be on the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday, before the ICC Board and the Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) Committee meet on Sunday and Monday.
It is during and around those meetings that the most pressing topics will be discussed:
Membership of Afghanistan
The ICC Working Group on Afghanistan will present an update to the ICC Board on the situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in the country in August 2021. ICC Deputy Chairman and Head of Working Group Imran Khawaja has met the officials here. ACB and Taliban twice in Doha since November. She has been assured that the government has not interfered in cricket matters, but has also acknowledged that any women’s cricket is virtually impossible while the Taliban are in power.
As a result, the working group would argue that the issue of women’s cricket is beyond the control of the ACB and therefore Board should not be punished, Full membership in the ICC requires that the member have a functioning women’s team but this status is unlikely to be under threat. However, there is growing resolve among members to take action or at least have a clear policy statement.
Even the ICC management is desperate to act, not least since some Afghan women cricketers approached them. There has been informal talk of funding a women’s team outside of Afghanistan and without the indirect approval of the ACB. But the Working Group will apprise the Board that such alternatives may prove counterproductive and even dangerous for the people at the grassroots level in the country. Wanting some progress with the women’s game but not wanting to punish Afghanistan is a touchstone.
A new revenue distribution model
The F&CA will begin discussions on a new model to split the ICC’s broadcast money (and commercial income) over the next rights cycle. It wouldn’t be a simple buzz – were it not for the current cycle, where the rights were sold in 2014 as a bundle for eight years to a broadcaster for around USD 2.1 billion.
This time, the ICC is selling the rights separately in different regional markets, as well as separating them into different packages – one for TV only, one for digital only, one for both, four And in eight years – and treated men’s and women’s events separately. It has already brought in much more value than the previous cycle, even accounting for more events. last August, Rights Reserved by Disney Star* To broadcast ICC events in India for four years from 2024 to 2027. The deal is said to be north of USD 3 billion. ICC has also recently Rights sold in the UK market to Sky Sports for eight years in a deal worth approximately USD 260 million. On Friday, the ICC announced the US rights going to Willow, leaving the subcontinent rights (except India) to go.
So, a lot more money, but also more challenges in distributing it. The F&CA is headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah and given that there is now a solid different value in the India market, this will only strengthen the BCCI’s old belief that they should get a bigger share of it. Smaller members also want an increased share, especially as they got less money than expected from the previous cycle after the ICC’s projections came down slightly.
Battle over financial model Last round was epic, not least because of the uproar caused by the Big Three takeover and then the eventual rollback. Ultimately the BCCI was not happy with its share. The global calendar is now more fragmented and complex, only adding to the difficulties of navigating it. Discussions will begin later this week but don’t expect a new model anytime soon.
India-Pakistan
The BCCI says that India will not go to Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup to be held in September. The PCB says that if they do not do this then Pakistan cannot travel to India for the World Cup to be held in October-November. it has been remain so between the two members
PCB chief Najam Sethi said, “We have complex issues, but for me when I go to ACC (Asian Cricket Council) and ICC meetings, I have kept all options open to us and we have to take a clear position now.” A press conference earlier this week. This is in line with the PCB’s belief that the Asia Cup and ICC events are linked: if India refuse to play in Pakistan for the Asia Cup, what is the guarantee that they will go for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025?
The PCB is raising the same question later this week, although it will do so ultimately with the Pakistan government deciding whether to travel to India for the World Cup. There were reports in Pakistan earlier this week that the government has denied permission to the PCB to send a team to India. But state officials indicated to ESPNcricinfo that not only had no such decision been made, it was too early for them to make it.
The Future-Tours Program
The meeting will confirm a working group looking at current and future FTP bilateral planning arrangements.
The group is headed by Zimbabwe chief Twengwa Mukuhlani and includes Martin Darlow of the ECB and New Zealand Cricket. Martin Snedden And are expected to meet formally for the first time. The grouping is open to full members to address concerns raised amid a shrinking calendar of international cricket as T20 leagues start up around the world.
Given the concerns expressed recently about the lack of Test matches, the group is likely to hear those concerns sooner rather than later. “The way world cricket is going now, apart from the big three, every team is barely playing any Test cricket,” jason holder said After the recently concluded Test series in South Africa. he was buzzing Comments by Angelo MathewsPlaying a two test series in New Zealand, as well as the MCC.
governance review
The deliberations on the constitutional reforms of ICC have been going on for years which has been a thorny subject.
It appears a number of proposals were informally discussed during meetings last year, including a single tier of ICC membership and a push for more independents to sit on the governing body’s board.
Currently Indra Nooyi, chairman Greg Barclay and ICC CEO Geoff Allardyce are the only independent directors on the 18-person board. But the board of directors has been unable to get on the same page and no such proposal was tabled last year. Discussions are about to resume in Dubai.
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