Key decisions expected in ICC conference

The conference will be held in Singapore

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) will hold its annual conference in Singapore during the third week of July. The meeting is expected to bring important decisions that could shape the future of the game.

This year's conference will be chaired by Jay Shah, who will lead the meeting for the first time as ICC Chairman. The location—Singapore—was chosen during earlier meetings in Zimbabwe, held in Harare and Victoria Falls. It also holds special importance as it is the constituency of ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja.

One of the major topics up for discussion includes recommendations from the Cricket Committee, which is led by former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. Among these suggestions is a proposal to use a single ball from the 25th over in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). This change is being considered to bring back reverse swing, a skill that has become rare with the current use of two balls in ODIs.

Another key proposal is to introduce in-game clocks in Test matches. These would help enforce the completion of 90 overs each day, similar to the pace maintained in shorter formats like T20s, where teams must bowl an over every 60 seconds.

The ICC is also set to discuss changing the format of the Under-19 Men's World Cup from 50 overs to T20, aligning it with the format already used in the Under-19 Women's World Cup. This move is aimed at keeping the game modern and in line with the growing popularity of the T20 format.

In addition, early conversations have taken place about the World Cricket Association (WCA). The WCA has put forward a number of proposals, including changes to the ICC's governance system and a review of how money is shared among members. However, the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) has not yet made any formal decisions regarding these suggestions.

Sources suggest that the ICC is unlikely to approve the WCA's recommendations, mainly because most major cricket boards have not joined the WCA, which was previously known as FICA (Federation of International Cricketers' Associations).