ICC: Future Tours Programme till 2023 to be collectively reviewed

Chief executives from cricket boards meet to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cricket.

West Indies lifts the World T20 title in April, 2016. The next edition of the competition is scheduled to be held later this year. - GETTY IMAGES

The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday discussed possibilities of rescheduling the Future Tours Programme (FTP) in order to fit in as much of the lost series due to COVID-19 outbreak as possible till 2023.

According to statement released by the ICC, the CEC was briefed about “the continuing contingency planning for all ICC global events, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021.”

The CEC also discussed possible deferment of the World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI Super League, both of which have been affected by the pandemic.

“There was agreement that the disrupted FTP programme would need to be collectively reviewed through to 2023 with a view to rescheduling as much of the cricket that has been postponed due to COVID-19 as possible,” the statement read.

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“Discussions and decisions on this and the future of both the World Test Championship and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League will be held at a later date when there is a greater understanding of the impact of the cricket that has been lost on the competitions.”

Sportstar understands that with the dynamic nature of the pandemic and almost six months remaining for the start of the T20 World Cup, the CEC, which includes chief executives or secretaries of all the 12 full members, decided to discuss the situation in around a month. CEC will then forward its recommendations to the ICC Board, which is scheduled to meet in June.

While Manu Sawhney, the ICC CEO, stated “the health and safety of everyone involved (in ICC events) will be carefully considered before any decisions are arrived at in the best interests of the game,” Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said the members are “ jointly exploring all other options in relation to staging the event.”