The 2016 edition of the World Twenty20, the second World Test
Championship in 2021 and the 2023 edition of the 50-over World Cup will
be hosted in India, it was announced by the International Cricket
Council at the end of their Annual Conference in London on Saturday
(June 29).
These tournaments are part of the 2015-2023 cycle, which also includes
another 50-over World Cup, World Test Championship and World Twenty20,
along with three Women's World Cups, three Under-19 World Cups, two
Women's World Twenty20s and four qualifying tournaments.
The World Test Championship replaces the Champions Trophy in the ICC's
calendar and will take off in June-July 2017 under the aegis of the
England and Wales Cricket Board.
Explaining the scrapping of the Champions Trophy, which, in any case,
was expected to happen at the end of the recent edition in the UK, David
Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said, "The ICC Champions Trophy in
England and Wales was highly acclaimed and appreciated by all. However,
the principle of one pinnacle global event for each of the three
formats over a four-year cycle is a good one.
"Now that the ICC World Test Championship has been confirmed, we'll work
on the playing conditions and qualification criteria, and will submit
these to the ICC Board for approval in due course."
Among the other key announcements was the recommendation that all full
ICC members play a minimum of 16 Test matches in each four-year cycle.
There were also a number of changes to playing conditions in
international cricket, which will come into effect from October 1 this
year.
These include:
1. TV umpires' review of a no-ball on the fall of a wicket can now
include waist-high full tosses and bouncers above shoulder height
2. The formal introduction of a two-step process when the umpire
believes the condition of the ball has been changed but there is no
eyewitness to identify which player changed the condition of the ball:
(i) replace the ball and give the captain a first and final warning and
(ii) award a five-run penalty to the batting team, replace the ball
(with the batsman to choose) and report the captain under the ICC Code
of Conduct
3. Zing wickets (with flashing LEDs in the bails and stumps) can be used
in limited-overs matches subject to an independent assessment of the
technology being received by the ICC
The ICC Board also agreed to strengthen the approach to fighting
corruption in the game. Among the "enhanced set of principles" announced
by the ICC was "a consistent framework for international and domestic
anti-corruption rules" that "addresses the jurisdictional challenges and
sets out principles to support mutual recognition of Member Board
decisions/sanctions".
"The ICC has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and is
committed to using all powers available to it to achieve and maintain
the goal of a corruption-free sport," said Richardson. "In the wake of
recent events, the ICC and its member boards will further strengthen and
tighten our anti-corruption codes and other integrity regulations
pertaining to international and domestic events and develop methods for
better information sharing across jurisdictions.
"The ICC remains confident, but not complacent, that the vast majority
of players, officials and administrators in international cricket uphold
the best interests of the sport. But there continues to be a very small
minority whose involvement with corrupt practices discredits themselves
and their colleagues, and tarnishes the reputation of the sport
itself."