New Delhi: To prioritise the growth of international cricket, the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) has proposed a new concept: an 84-day window exclusively reserved for uninterrupted international cricket, shielding players from the lure of lucrative T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The report also emphasises the importance of equitable governance and financial management, proposing a cap on the maximum share that dominant cricket boards, such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), can receive.
These ideas, along with several others, were put forth in a report titled, ‘Protecting History, Embracing Change: A Unified, Coherent, Global Future’, suggesting recommendations for cricket’s future after a six-month review by the WCA.
The survey drew responses from top cricketers including Pat Cummins, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Jason Holder, Corey Anderson, Tim Southee, Aiden Markram, Matthew Cross, Alyssa Healy, Heather Knight, Jahanara Alam, Laura Woolvaardt, Sophie Devine, Hayley Mathews, Laura Delany, Craig Ervine, Gerhard Erasmus, Priyanaz Chatterji, and Meg Lanning.
“We need to step into our future as a sport, but there are some important parts of our history, and in particular international cricket, that we want to see protected and thriving into the future,” Australian captain Pat Cummins noted.
Similarly, Afghanistan star cricketer Rashid Khan hoped that the game spreads out to new places. “Cricket has given me so much, and I want to see it be strong and sustainable in more than just a handful of countries. We’re urging the game’s leadership to act on the information and suggestions contained in this report,” he said.
The WCA report, released Wednesday, made a strong case for a more equitable distribution of revenue, advocating for an increase in the share allocated to players, who are the primary drivers of revenue. Furthermore, it proposed a reduction in the revenue share of cricket boards, capping it at 10 percent—a contrast to the current arrangement, where the BCCI alone commands a whopping 38 percent of the global revenue share.
“Whilst there is no silver bullet, the report defines the trends and major issues facing the sport at a global level, along with some recommended solutions, intended to be both aspirational and realistic. The players have an interest in the health of the game globally, and we look forward to discussing and debating the report over the coming months,” WCA chairperson Heath Mills noted.
The WCA has already initiated discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body of cricket, regarding its report.
Four 21-day windows
The WCA has called for an overhaul of the international cricket calendar, seeking to introduce a more straightforward and player-friendly schedule. “Current global cricket scheduling is chaotic, inconsistent and confusing, limiting the overall quality of the product, and putting the future of the international game at risk,” it said.
With numerous T20 leagues competing with international fixtures, forcing players to choose between their national contracts and lucrative league deals, the WCA aims to establish a clearer hierarchy. The proposal centres on creating a simplified global calendar and international competition structure, expected to take effect in 2028-2029.
Under the proposed framework, the WCA suggests allocating four 21-day windows for Core International Cricket (CIC), where teams would compete against each other within their respective divisions over a two-year cycle. Each series would comprise a minimum of one match in each format, with separate league tables for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, ultimately leading to ICC events. Notably, these CIC windows would be T20 league-free, although teams could still engage in bilateral series outside of these designated periods.
The WCA has also provided a sample calendar for 2028, featuring four key windows: February-March, May-June, September, and December, alongside the T20 World Cup in October-November and the LA28 Olympics in July.
WCA also stressed on the fact that cricket’s global regulations must adapt to the game’s new transnational reality. The current ICC frameworks are deemed outdated, prioritising international cricket over T20 leagues and overly restricting T20 league operations including limitations on overseas players in global T20 leagues, it said.
Leadership & fair share
The WCA has proposed the establishment of a Global Game Leadership Committee, tasked with making recommendations to the ICC board. This committee would comprise representatives from cricket boards, T20 leagues and franchises, players, and independent experts.
The report highlights a glaring governance issue, stating, “In short, no one is actually in charge of the sport as a genuine custodian of the global game as a whole.” It criticises the current power dynamics, where influential boards dominate decision-making, leaving leagues, franchises, players, women, and independent voices without representation or leadership.
On the other hand, a major recommendation is to distribute equal dividends to all boards, a move that would impact the cricketing world’s dominant trio—the BCCI, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA)—which currently command 83 percent of the total revenue. Additionally, the report highlights that a staggering 70 percent of the annual revenue is concentrated within just four months of the year.
According to the report, 11 of the last 13 major ICC events were won by the same three countries that dominate global cricket revenue. Additionally, countries ranked 13-108 receive only 2 percent of global cricket revenue, while players, who help generate this revenue, receive a mere 10.5 percent share.
To address this glaring financial disparity in world cricket, the WCA is advocating for a major restructuring of the revenue distribution model. A key component is a tailored calendar, which is expected to generate an additional $246 million in revenue annually. Central to this vision is the establishment of transparent revenue distribution parameters, ensuring a fairer share of ICC revenues. As the WCA suggests, “a minimum 2 percent and maximum 10 percent for the top 24 countries, and a minimum 10 percent distribution collectively for countries 25+.”
This would cut the BCCI’s share from 38.5 percent to 10 percent. The WCA also proposes a central fund to support global cricket development, funded by ICC events, T20 leagues, and media rights.
“Cricket is changing fast, but its transition is currently largely unmanaged at global level. There is an urgent need for cricket to reset and modernise its global scheduling, regulations and leadership to keep up with the pace of change and ensure a more balanced future. Every cricket country is part of a global ecosystem, reliant on other countries and their players for their own success,” WCA CEO Tom Moffat said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)