ICC Board Meeting Highlights: Major Changes and Future Plans for Cricket

The ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad yielded crucial decisions affecting cricket's future, including trials for pink balls in Test matches to combat bad light, changes to the Women's T20 World Cup schedule, and the suspension of Cricket Canada. The meeting also addressed the rapid growth of franchise cricket and its implications for the sport. Key updates include the introduction of the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy and a new qualification pathway for the Women's T20 World Cup 2028. Explore the full details of these significant developments.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 1, 2026, 17:23 IST

Key Outcomes from the ICC Board Meeting

The International Cricket Council (ICC) convened its Board meeting in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31, resulting in significant decisions impacting the sport. Among the notable discussions was a proposal aimed at addressing the challenges posed by bad light during Test matches, alongside deliberations on the expansion of franchise cricket globally. Additionally, it was confirmed that India will not participate in the Women's T20 World Cup 2028 in Pakistan.

This meeting, chaired by Shah, coincided with the IPL 2026 final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, featuring a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT).

Major Rule Changes Announced by ICC

1) Trials for Pink Balls to Combat Bad Light

The ICC has proposed trials for using pink balls in Test matches, contingent on agreement from both teams, to maximize play during anticipated bad light conditions. The organization will also explore lighting technology to minimize lost play, collaborating with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on research and development projects. Furthermore, match officials will now have access to Hawk-Eye data when assessing illegal bowling actions.

2) Head Coaches Allowed on the Field

Updates to the Playing Conditions will permit head coaches or their representatives to engage with teams during scheduled drink breaks, enforce 15-minute intervals in T20I matches, and ensure batters are prepared to resume play promptly.

Changes in Women's Cricket Schedule

1) Rescheduled ICC Women's Champions Trophy

The ICC Women's Champions Trophy will now occur from February 14-28, 2027, instead of the previously planned June-July timeframe.

2) Launch of New Tournament

The ICC will introduce the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy in 2026, featuring ten teams comprising five Full Members and five Associate Members, selected based on rankings and prior T20 World Cup qualifications.

3) India's Participation in Women's T20 World Cup 2028

India will not play its matches in the Women's T20 World Cup 2028 at neutral venues, despite the tournament being hosted in Pakistan. The qualification pathway for this event has been endorsed, allowing automatic qualification for ten teams, including the top eight from the ICC WT20WC 2026, the host (if not already qualified), and the next highest-ranked teams as of July 6, 2026.

Global Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier and Other Updates

1) Global Qualifiers for Men's T20 World Cups

The ICC has approved the establishment of a Global Qualifier for future Men's T20 World Cups, with management tasked to finalize the competition structure and qualification pathway for a 16-team event.

2) Suspension of Cricket Canada

Cricket Canada has been suspended by the ICC due to serious breaches of membership obligations. The ICC Board emphasized the need to protect Canadian players' interests and ensure they are not disadvantaged by governance issues. During the suspension, Canadian teams will still be eligible for ICC events and can access funding for approved national team programs.

3) ICC Members' Visits to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

ICC representatives are set to visit Bangladesh to discuss the electoral process with stakeholders, while others have recently engaged with stakeholders in Sri Lanka to assess ongoing developments.

Concerns Over Franchise Cricket

Franchise Cricket Issues

The ICC has raised concerns regarding the rapid proliferation of franchise cricket leagues in various countries and announced plans to form a committee aimed at harmonizing the franchise cricket calendar with international cricket schedules.