The Champions League T20 is set to be relaunched in September 2026, while Test cricket being split into two divisions might be decided by the end of the year, The Age has reported.
The proposal to bring back the Champions League T20 has received a strong backing from the majority of the Member countries at the International Cricket Council’s annual conference in Singapore, according to sources. The ICC has also decided to form an eight-member working group to reshape cricket’s calendar 2027 onwards. The ICC’s newly-appointed chief executive Sanjog Gupta will be part of the working group that will present its findings and recommendations to the ICC Board chaired by Jay Shah.
The ongoing England-India Test series has been attracting millions of eyeballs all over the world. But beyond the ‘Big 3’ (India, England and Australia), very few countries make money from the game’s oldest format. For example, South Africa, the reigning world Test champions, won’t play a home series until October 2026. Going ahead, there’s a possibility that the number of Test-playing countries in the top tier could be capped.
The ICC, along with the BCCI, Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board, has been exploring the possibilities of a two-tier Test system since the start of this year. And it has its backers.
“I think it’s very confusing if you look at the number of games South Africa have played compared to what Australia, India or England have played. It’s very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who’s the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final. I would just like it to be a lot clearer. I would have two leagues,” Michael Vaughan, England’s former Ashes-winning captain, told BBC Sport a couple of months ago.
The relaunch of the Champions League T20 stems from the direction the game is going in. The first iteration of the tournament was launched in 2008. But it was disbanded in 2015 owing to poor viewing figures and unstable sponsorships.
England remains as WTC final host
Ending speculations, the ICC confirmed that the next three World Test Championship (WTC) will be played in England only. “The Board also confirmed the awarding of hosting rights for the ICC World Test Championship Finals for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 editions to the England and Wales Cricket Board, following a successful track record in hosting recent finals,” said the ICC press release.
Update on displaced Afghan women cricketers
“The Board received an update on progress relating to the support for displaced women cricketers of Afghan descent. This initiative is being advanced through a collaborative effort led by the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA), under the supervision of ICC Deputy Chair Mr Imran Khwaja,” stated the press release.
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