ECB Joins BCCI, Cricket Australia To Oppose ICC's Bid To Host Flagship Events Every Year

With the Indian and Australian Cricket Board having already opposed the apex body's proposed move, it is understood that the ICC may now face severe blocks on the issue with the 'Big Three' of world cricket in agreement among themselves.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) became the third major cricket board after the BCCI and Cricket Australia to officially intimated the ICC that it will not support the global body's endeavor to have a flagship event every year from 2023 to 2031. With the Indian and Australian Cricket Board having already opposed the apex body's proposed move, it is understood that the ICC may now face severe blocks on the issue with the 'Big Three' of world cricket in agreement among themselves.

"ECB is not in a position to support the current proposal for ICC events from 2023-2031," ECB chairman Colin Graves wrote in an email (in possession of PTI) to ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney.

The ICC in its last meeting in Dubai had proposed that in the next FTP (Futures Tours and Programme) Cycle for the eight year period between 2023 and 2031, there would be two 50 over World Cups, four T20 World Cup and two more multi-nation tournaments to make it eight events in eight years. Graves broadly made three specific points as to why ECB will not be able to support the move. First, their own bilateral engagements will be compromised; second, concern about workload and health of their players; and third, an extra ICC event in a particular year will take sheen off the ICC World Test Championship final. "The impact of the proposed schedule on ICC events on bilateral cricket is a serious concern for the ECB. The proposed schedule risks compromising the time available and thus value and integrity of the bilateral cricket calendar for all member boards," Graves wrote in his communications to Sawhney.