Cricket World Cup: Documents reveal plans to thwart MCC’s hopes for less one-day internationals

Days after cricket’s most revered think tank pushed the ICC to crack down on the amount of cricket being played, leaked documents have revealed how difficult that could be, writes DANIEL CHERNY.

Australia is tentatively scheduled to play India in a one-day international series just days after the 2027 World Cup, flying in the face of an MCC plan to radically cull the amount of men’s ODI cricket played outside major tournaments.

The MCC’s world cricket committee – which features the likes of Justin Langer, Mike Gatting, Kumar Sangakkara, Graeme Smith, Sourav Ganguly and Eoin Morgan – met at Lord’s before the recent second Test, and has since released recommendations to help international cricket deal with its state of flux, a situation amplified by the acceleration of the white-ball circuit.

Among the committee’s proposals was that bilateral men’s ODI series should be culled outside the 12-month window leading into a World Cup in order to reduce the amount of meaningless ODIs and free space on the calendar.

The MCC plan is for the scheme to come into effect from after the 2027 World Cup, due to fall in October and November of that year in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Justin Langer, pictured wearing his MCC tie, is a part of the MCC world cricket committee. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

The ICC’s current future tours program – outlining every bilateral series between Test-playing nations – only stretches to April 2027, although ICC events including World Cups and the Champions Trophy have also been earmarked until 2031.

However boards also have projected bilateral series dates beyond April 2027. The memorandum of understanding signed between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association earlier this year includes details of series stretching into early 2028.

Among them is a three-match ODI series between India and Australia in the subcontinent, pencilled in for November 2027, the same month the ODI World Cup finishes.

The Aussies are then scheduled to play five Twenty20 internationals in India before heading home for three Tests against Sri Lanka, two Tests at home against South Africa before three home ODIs and three home T20Is against the Proteas in February 2028.

Australia is then scheduled to return to Pakistan for a three-match Test series.

The MCC world cricket committee holds no binding powers in the sport, with its role merely advisory, albeit featuring some of the game’s greats.

CA chief Nick Hockley said last month that he saw a future for all three formats.

“I’m very much of the view that overall, having a range of different propositions is complimentary rather than competing. Everything‘s a balance and we’ve got to find ways that the different formats exist,” Hockley said.

Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley believes there is room in the schedule for ODIs. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

This year’s men’s ODI World Cup will be held in India in October and November. Australia is scheduled to play three lead-up ODIs against the hosts before five T20 internationals after the tournament. Australia’s next ODIs following the World Cup are at home to the West Indies in February.

Outgoing world cricket committee chair Gatting, the ex-England captain, said action had to be taken.

“It’s time for the global game to reset,” Gatting said.

“Too often, member nations are finding themselves living hand to mouth with their cricketing operations, versus having a long-term, viable strategy in place that future-proofs the game in their country, both financially and in terms of participation.

“We are currently at the commencement of a new ICC FTP and financing cycle, and we would recommend further evidence of the requisite funding being directly apportioned to the strategic needs of cricket.

“The actions that were raised at the recent meeting highlight the importance for the ICC to proactively engage the global game to find solutions that work for everyone. A more equitable approach would, in turn, provide more commercial stability and continue to grow the potential of the ICC World Test Championship.”

The ICC has in recent days held its own annual conference in Durban, announcing equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at ICC events.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup: Documents reveal plans to thwart MCC’s hopes for less one-day internationals