Test and one-day international cricket is braced for a radical shake-up, which could also see Afghanistan and Ireland eventually grabbing Test status, a report said on Friday.
The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting has proposed a two-year Test league, a 13-team ODI league and regional qualification for the World Twenty20, cricinfo.com reported.
If the council’s board approves the plans, a rolling two-year Test league with a 9-3 format would start in 2019.
Photo: AFP
According to the proposals, the top nine Test-playing nations would compete among themselves and against the three lower-ranked teams.
Those three would comprise Zimbabwe and most likely Ireland and Afghanistan depending on whether they earn Test status, the report said.
“It is understood the CEC also approved a three-year, 13-team ODI league, the culmination of which will result in qualification for the 50-over World Cup and a system of regional qualification tournaments through which teams attempt to qualify for the World T20,” cricinfo said. “And as the strongest signal yet that the short-lived era of the ‘Big Three’ [India, Australia and England] is well and truly over, the overseeing of this calendar will once again become the responsibility of the ICC.”
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