After the 2027 World Cup, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has suggested cutting back on the amount of one-day internationals to increase the focus on higher-quality games and free up more time on the calendar for smaller nations to host Test matches.
The keeper of the rules has advocated for a “significant transformation” in women’s cricket funding, saying this is necessary to safeguard the sport as a whole.
According to a statement released by the MCC on Tuesday, “the suggestion is that a scarcity of ODI cricket would increase the quality,” which would be accomplished by eliminating bilateral ODIs other than in the year preceding each World Cup.
This would free up some much-needed time in the international cricket schedule.
After the 2023–27 cycle in cricket, the ideas could be implemented.
The MCC’s World Cricket Committee (WCC) panel acknowledged the financial imbalance among members and expressed “particular concern” for the future of test cricket outside of India, Australia, and England despite the increased funding for the sport.
The committee recognized the “growing unaffordability to host men’s test match cricket in many nations” and voted to conduct a financial audit during the second Ashes test at Lord’s.
“This audit of operational costs versus commercial return would help the ICC identify nations in need of support in order to sustain a test match programme,” the report concluded.
In order to preserve the integrity of test matches, “this requirement could be subsequently addressed via a separate test fund.”
It also suggested setting up a strategic fund to promote the development of women’s cricket.
“It’s time for the global game to reset,” the panel’s chairman, Mike Gatting, said.
“The WCC firmly believes that if we are to protect the game of cricket as a whole, immediate action must be taken to bring about significant transformation in the sport,” the former England captain continued.