ICC
Kiwi commercial lawyer Barclay re-elected ICC chair
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Saturday re-elected Auckland-based commercial lawyer Greg Barclay as its chair for a second two-year term.
Barclay was elected for two more years, until 2024, after Tavengwa Mukuhlani, a long-term director on the ICC board and Zimbabwe Cricket chair, pulled out of contention.
The former New Zealand Cricket chair succeeded India's Shashank Manohar in 2020.
Barclay said: "It is an honour to be re-elected as the chair of the International Cricket Council and I would like to thank my fellow ICC directors for their support."
Read: Maketa named interim head coach of South Africa
"Over the last two years, we have made significant strides forward with the launch of our global growth strategy that provides clear direction to build a successful and sustainable future for our sport."
"It is an exciting time to be involved in cricket and I look forward to continuing to work closely with our Members to strengthen the game in our core markets as well as grow it beyond that, ensuring more of the world can enjoy cricket," Barclay added.
Mukuhlani said: "I would like to congratulate Greg on his re-appointment as ICC chair, as the continuity his leadership will provide is in the best interests of the sport. I, therefore, decided to withdraw my candidacy."
Host cities for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022
Australia, one of the top crickets playing nations, will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2022 for the first time. Local people and international fans will have the opportunity to join the festival and enjoy the host cities’ marvelous tourist spots, exotic foods, versatile culture, and more. The world Cup tournament’s 45 matches will be played in seven stadiums located across 7 big cities including Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, and Perth. Let’s take a look at the top things to do in the host cities for the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Host cities for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022
You should not just enjoy your time watching some exciting matches. You can also check out what these cities have in their bucket to offer you.
Sydney
Sydney is a beautiful city with plenty to see and do. From the iconic Sydney Opera House to the attractive Bondi Beach, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Read ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022: Meet the 16 Captains
Regarding food, Sydney offers a wide variety of cuisines from all over the world. If you are looking for something truly unique, be sure to try one of the city’s many Aboriginal restaurants.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022: Meet the 16 Captains
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 tournament will start on October 16. About 45 matches will be held in eight different venues located in the host country Australia. 16 nations are going to participate in this biggest T20i sport event. All the participating countries have already announced their respective squads including Captains. Let’s take a look at the captains of all 16 teams participating in the eighth ICC Men's T20 World Cup competition.
Meet 16 Captains of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
Aaron Finch (Australia)
Aaron Finch is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Australian national cricket team and Victoria Men’s Cricket team in domestic cricket. He is a right-handed opening batsman and occasional left-arm orthodox bowler.
He made his ODI debut for Australia in January 2013 against Sri Lanka and his Test match debut in December 2018 against Pakistan. Finch has played in two Cricket World Cups, in 2015 and 2019. He was the captain of the 2019 World Cup Cricket Team. He has also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals, Gujrat Lions, Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Finch has had a successful career thus far, and he will lead Team Australia in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Read T20 World Cup 2022: Six captains to keep an eye on
Jos Buttler (England)
English cricket player Jos Buttler is one of the most exciting young talents in the game today. A powerful batsman and wicketkeeper, Buttler made his first-class debut for Somerset in 2009. He quickly established himself as a regular member of the team, and in 2011 he was named for NBC Denis Compton Award for his extraordinary performance.
In 2011, Buttler made his England debut, and he has since gone on to become a key member of the side. A destructive batsman in limited-overs cricket, Buttler has scored several match-winning innings for England. He was also a member of the side that reached the final in the 2016 T20 World Cup. Now he will play as captain in this year’s World Cup.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Kane Williamson is a New Zealand cricket player who has been turning heads since he made his first-class debut in 2007. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most successful batsmen in the world, racking up an impressive number of runs in all formats of the game. He also has a reputation for being cool under pressure, which has served him well in some of the biggest moments of his career.
In 2015, he helped lead New Zealand to their first-ever World Cup final. He also helped the team to lead the 2019 world cup final, and he was named the player of the Tournament for his efforts. He is currently the captain of the New Zealand test side and T20, and he will no doubt be looking to add more silverware to his already impressive collection. There is no doubt that Kane Williamson is one of the best cricket players in the world, and he looks poised to have a long and successful career.
Read ‘We need to improve’, Shakib says after another batting disaster
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
Shakib Al Hasan is a Bangladesh international cricketer who is currently ranked as the No.1 all-rounder in ODI cricket. Previously he was number 1 in all three formats of the game. He is a left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
He made his Test debut against India in 2007 and his One Day International (ODI) debut against Zimbabwe in 2006. He played his first Twenty20 International (T20I) match against Kenya in 2006.
He is also the only Bangladeshi cricketer to be ranked in the top ten of any of the ICC rankings. Shakib has represented Bangladesh in over 60 Test matches, 200 ODIs, and 100 T20Is. He will lead Bangladesh in T20 World Cup this year.
Rohit Sharma (India)
Rohit Sharma, a right-handed batsman, and Right-arm off-break bowler has played for India in all formats of cricket since he made his debut in 2007. He is the current captain of the side, having taken over from Virat Kohli when the latter was called up to the national team for the World Cup in England.
He has won several awards, including the ICC Player of the Year award. Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian Cricket Team in Australia for T20 World Cup.
Read At a Glance: ICC T20 Men's World Cup 2022 Venues
Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Pakistan cricket player Babar Azam’s career begins with his professional debut in 2015, which came in a one-day international against Zimbabwe. He played sporadically for Pakistan up until today. He has played for Pakistan in both the Asia Cup and the World Cup and has made an impact on the team both in terms of results and persona.
He is considered to be one of the most talented young players in the game today and is likely to continue playing at a high level for many years to come. Babar Azam will lead Pakistan Cricket Team in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
Nicholas Pooran is a Trinidadian cricketer who currently captains the West Indies cricket team in Twenty20 cricket. Pooran made his international debut for the West Indies in September 2016. In May 2022, Pooran was named captain of the West Indies team for T20s.
He played his first International T20 for West Indies in 2016 against Pakistan. And he also played on the India tour in 2018. Later in 2019, he was included in West Indies One Day International team in against England series. Pooran played in the 2019 Cricket World Cup for West Indies. Cricket West Indies signed a contract with him for the 2019-20 season, which continues until now, and he became captain for the 2022 World Cup.
Read Nigar Sultana nominated for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for Sept
Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe)
Craig Ervine is a professional cricketer from Zimbabwe who currently captains the team in limited-overs matches. A left-handed batsman, Ervine has been playing international cricket since 2010 and has represented Zimbabwe at various international tournaments.
On February 22, 2020, he captained the Test team in the one-off Test against Bangladesh. This was after Sean Williams, Zimbabwe’s regular Test captain, took leave before the match for the birth of his first child.
In August 2021, Zimbabwe appointed Ervine as their white ball captain for the first time. He assumed white ball captaincy for the first time during the limited overs series against Ireland and the T20I series against Scotland. Later in 2022, Ervine was reappointed as a captain for the three-match ODI series in January 2022 against Sri Lanka.
Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)
Mohammad Nabi is a professional cricket player from Afghanistan. He has represented his country in Test, One Day International, and T20 cricket. Nabi made his Test debut against India in June 2018 and his One Day International debut against Scotland in April 2009.
He has played for a number of domestic teams in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Nabi is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler. He is currently the captain of the Afghanistan national cricket team and he will lead the T20 World Cup in 2022.
Nabi made his first-class debut in 2007 against Sri Lanka Team A. He was a member of the Afghan team that played in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. In 2018, he played in Afghanistan’s first Test match against India.
Read Will Bangladesh’s brand of T20 cricket work in New Zealand?
Temba Bavuma (South Africa)
Temba Bavuma, an experienced South African cricket player, has played a number of games for his country. He has made around 100 appearances for his country and has scored 3300+ runs in Test and Day cricket. Bavuma represented South Africa at the T20 World Cup in 2021, and he will again lead the team in 2022. Bavuma debited for South Africa in 2014 and slowly gaining pace in his career.
Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia)
Erasmus debuted on the senior level for Namibia in February 2011, aged 15, playing against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He then made his debut for Namibia in an ICC Intercontinental Cup match later in September 2011. He became the team’s youngest ever player while playing in the match at the age of 16; later, in 2012, Erasmus was named for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.
Over the years, Gerhard Erasmus played a significant role in Namibia’s cricket. In September 2021, Erasmus became the captain of Namibia’s squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In the same year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named him as one of the key players in Namibia’s team. He will be playing as a captain in this world cup too.
Scott Edwards (Netherlands)
Australian-Dutch cricketer Scott Andrew Edwards (born in August 1996) represents the Netherlands. He started his first-class cricket in the 2015–17 ICC Intercontinental Cup on November 29, 2017, against Namibia. Edwards made his first appearance for the Dutch against Namibia in 2015 17 ICC World Cricket League Championship on December 8, 2017.
In June 2022, Edwards was appointed the seventh ODI captain for the Netherlands, after Pieter Seelaar stepped down from international cricket because of his back injury. Edwards is the Dutchmen’s seventh ODI skipper. And he also becomes a captain for Netherlands T20 teams. However, Edwards’ first international T20 was against Ireland in 2018.
Read ICC announced fixtures for Women’s Twenty20 World Cup 2023
Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka)
Madagamasanna Dasunta Shanaka, born September 9, 1991, is a Sri Lankan cricketer who currently serves as the team’s limited-overs captain. He is an all-round player, right-hand batter, and medium-fast bowler. Shanaka was selected for the Sri Lankan T20I team for their series against Pakistan in July 2015. He had his first T20 game on August 1, 2015, and was their 58th T20 cap.
Shanaka captained the Sri Lanka T20 side in 2019 in ODIs against Pakistan, with Sri Lanka whitewashing Pakistan 3-0 for the series. In February 2021, he formally became Sri Lanka’s T20 captain, replacing Lasith Malinga before their tour of the West Indies.
Shanaka was named the captain of Sri Lanka’s One Day International (ODI) team in July 2021 for their upcoming series with India. And also played as captain in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He is also appointed as captain of the 2022 World Cup.
Chundangapoyil Rizwan (United Arab Emirates)
Although Rizwan is an Indian-born cricket, he has been playing for UAE since 2019 and was appointed 2022 2022 T20 World Cup captain. His first international match was between UAE and Nepal in 2019. In the same year, he was named the Twenty20 International captain for UAE. He also made his T20 debut against Nepal in 2019. Later in 2020, the Emirates cricket board signed a yearlong part time contract with Rizwan. And he has become the 2022 T20 World Cup’s captain for UAE with the renewal of his contract.
Andrew Balbirnie (Ireland)
Andrew Balbirnie, born December 28, 1990, is an Irish cricketer who is currently captain of the Ireland cricket team in all formats. While he is a right-handed batter, Andrew is also an occasional wicketkeeper. He was born in Dublin and educated at St. Andrew’s College. Balbirnie made his Test debut for Ireland against Pakistan in May 2018, one of 11 players to represent Ireland in their first ever Test match. In December 2018, he was one of 19 players awarded a central contract by Cricket Ireland for the 2019 season.
In November 2019, Balbirnie became the captain of Ireland’s Test and ODI teams, succeeding William Porterfield. Later the same month, he was also appointed as the captain of Ireland’s Twenty20 International (T20I) team, taking over from Gary Wilson.
Read Bangladesh’s fixtures for ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup 2023 confirmed
Richie Berrington (Scotland)
Richard Berrington is a Scottish cricketer who has played at the first-class, One Day International, and List A levels for his country. He made his debut in the 2006 Under-19 Cricket World Cup before going on to play senior cricket for Scotland. He became Ireland’s national cricket team’s captain in 2022 after Kyle Coetzer stepped down from captaincy.
Berrington made his way through the Scottish A team before making his One Day International debut for Scotland against Ireland in July 2008. He played a pivotal role in Scotland’s victory, hitting the winning runs. The next month, he made his Twenty20 International debut against Ireland.
Berrington became a regular member of the Scottish cricket team, demonstrating exceptional skills in the Twenty20s and first-class cricket. He also played in the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup.
Final Words
So, these were the 16 captains of the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup 2022. All of them are immensely talented and have led their respective teams to great heights. It would be really interesting to see how they fare in the upcoming world cup.
T20 World Cup 2022 Venues: At a Glance
Starting on October 16, ICC T20 World Cup 2022 tournament’s final will be held on November 13. 16 teams are participating in this event. Australia hosts this year’s T20 World Cup. Though Australia has around 30 active stadiums, a few of those are used for international cricket matches. However, the host country has prepared 7 stadiums for the 45 matches of this event. Let’s get to know the venues of 2022 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup tournament.
7 Venues of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022
T20 World Cup 2022 will be hosted in seven nationwide stadiums. The following is the details of each stadium.
Adelaide Oval
Located in Adelaide, Adelaide Oval is the home of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) and the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). The ground has a capacity of 53,500 and is one of the most significant grounds in Australia.
Read ICC announced fixtures for Women’s Twenty20 World Cup 2023
Schedule of ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers announced
The schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier has been announced on Wednesday (August 31) with eight teams competing for the final two spots of the next year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and USA put in Group A while Thailand, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and hosts UAE pooled in Group B..Two qualifiers for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 to be determined from the eight-team league tournament that runs from September 18-25 in Abu Dhabi The top two teams from each group will make the semi-finals and both the finalists will book their places in the next year's T20 Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa.Hosts the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will play Thailand at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on the opening day of the global qualifier. Zimbabwe will also be in action on day one as they take on Papua New Guinea at the adjacent Tolerance Oval.
Read: Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier: Bangladesh’s first game goes into reserve dayBangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the USA complete the line up in the qualifier in the battle to join Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and hosts South Africa at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup next year.Hosted at Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub, the matches at the Tolerance Oval will be the first full internationals at the ground since it was given ICC accreditation, while the Zayed Cricket Stadium will be the venue for the final as well as both semi-finals.Bangladesh and Thailand, who played in the highly successful T20 World Cup in Australia in 2020 and qualified for this tournament on that basis, are the two leading teams in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings and are drawn in different groups.Two qualifiers for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 to be determined from the eight-team league tournament that runs from September 18-25 in Abu Dhabi.
ICC CWC Super League: WI, SL, SA could miss out on direct qualification
Qualification for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup is well and truly heating up. Thirteen teams have participated in the ICC CWC Super League to earn a spot in the next 50-over World Cup. The top seven teams in the points standings and the host of the 13th edition of the ODI World Cup, India, will automatically advance to the main event. As the qualifier competition is nearing its end, three full members—West Indies, Sri Lanka, and South Africa—are in danger of missing out on direct qualification. Let’s take a look at the complete World Cup qualification scenario.
Which teams are in a strong position in the ICC CWC Super League?
With less than one third of the fixtures left in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League 2020-2023, the points table has nicely shaped up to understand which teams are in a better position to qualify for the main event.
Reigning champions, England became the first team to secure a place in the World Cup 2023 with 125 points in 18 matches. Bangladesh and Pakistan are in second and third place, respectively, with 120 points each. Both teams are one win away from booking their place in the main event. With six matches left for Bangladesh and Pakistan, respectively, their places in the next World Cup are all but assured. However, they may not need to win any more matches if the bottom-placed teams continue to lose points.
Read Pakistan sweeps ODI series with 9-run win vs Netherlands
New Zealand and Afghanistan are in very strong positions as well in the ICC CWC Super League points table. The Blackcaps are in fourth position with 110 points, followed by the Afghan side in fifth position with 100 points. With both teams having 12 matches left each, their route to World Cup qualification is clear.
The tournament host, India, are in sixth position with 99 points. India will likely be in fifth place if they whitewash Zimbabwe in the ongoing 3-match series. The Indian side will finish in the top half of the standings as they have six matches left.
West Indies, the two-time World Cup champions, are in seventh place with 90 points. The Caribbean side completed their allotted matches and they are in serious danger of missing out on direct qualification. Australia are in eighth position at the moment with 70 points, but they have 12 matches in hand to secure a direct World Cup berth. Ireland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands are in the bottom half of the points table.
Read Sridharan Sriram to take big role in Bangladesh team
Points standings of the 2020-2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League (as on August 21, 2022)
Team
Matches
Won
Lost
Points
England
18
12
5
125
Bangladesh
18
12
6
120
Pakistan
18
12
6
120
New Zealand
12
11
1
110
Afghanistan
12
10
2
100
India (Q)
14
10
4
99
West Indies
24
9
15
90
Australia
12
7
5
70
Ireland
21
6
13
68
Sri Lanka
18
6
11
62
South Africa
13
4
7
49
Zimbabwe
17
3
13
35
Netherlands
19
2
16
25
Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/cricket-world-cup-super-league/standings
Read Asia Cup Cricket: India holds historical edge over Pakistan
Who among the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and South Africa have a better chance to qualify?
In the current point standings scenario, the West Indies team is most likely to miss out on direct qualification. They have no remaining matches and only a 20-point lead over the eighth-placed Australian team. The Aussie side will surely topple the Caribbean team in their upcoming fixture against Zimbabwe.
Ireland are in ninth position with 68 points, and they have three matches left against Bangladesh. Ireland must defeat Bangladesh in order to surpass the West Indies in the standings, which is highly unlikely.
However, Sri Lanka are in a better position to surpass the West Indies. They have 62 points and six matches in hand. With 60 points up for grabs, winning the remaining matches will most certainly guarantee a World Cup berth for the Lankan side.
Read FTP Cycle 2023-2027: Bangladesh National Men’s Cricket Team’s Full Fixtures
South Africa, on the other hand, have eight matches in hand and they are currently in eleventh position with only 49 points. They gave a walkover to Australia and lost thirty valuable points without playing the matches. The Proteas side can reach 129 points if they win their remaining fixtures.
It seems the West Indies are most likely to miss out on finishing in the top eight in the points table. On the other hand, Sri Lanka and South Africa will battle it out till the end to finish in the top eight to earn a place in the next World Cup.
West Indies’ remaining series: None
Sri Lanka’s remaining series: Afghanistan (3 matches), New Zealand (3 matches)
South Africa’s remaining series: England (3 matches), India (3 matches), Netherlands (2 matches).
Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament
Aftermath
The West Indies and Sri Lanka are former World Cup champions, while South Africa are one of the best teams in the world. Failing to qualify for the World Cup 2023 through direct qualification will be a major blow for top cricketing nations like the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. Each of these three sides has a significant risk of finishing outside the top eight teams given the ICC CWC Super League's current standings.
Bangladesh to take on all ICC full members in next FTP
In the next cycle of the ICC Men’s Future Tour Programme (FTP), Bangladesh will take on all full members of the ICC, the new FTP published by the ICC revealed.
The next FTP will start in 2023 and end in 2027.
The announcement of the FTP, a result of a collective effort of the members with ICC’s support, ensures the certainty of cricket fixtures with the confirmation of all bilateral series across the three formats.
However, the exact dates of the series that Bangladesh would play will be finalised by the involving boards.
Bangladesh will make a tour of Ireland in June 2023, which will be followed by a home series of two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is against Afghanistan in June. They also have a busy calendar in 2024 during which they will host Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from February to April and then will play Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in away Tests mid-year.
Read:Unofficial Test between Bangladesh A, West Indies A ends in draw
A home Test series against South Africa and an away full tour of the West Indies (two Tests, three ODIS and three T20Is) are part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 while the 2025-27 WTC finishes off for them with a challenging home series against England and an away series in Australia.
Bangladesh play New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka at home in the 2023-25 WTC while touring India, Pakistan and the West Indies. In the 2025-27 cycle, they play England, Pakistan and the West Indies at home and have away series scheduled in Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. All of these series are part of the WTC.
Before the announcement of the men’s FTP, the ICC announced the first-ever women’s FTP was announced.
“I’d like to thank our Members for the effort that has gone into creating this FTP for the next four years. We are incredibly lucky to have three vibrant formats of the game, with an outstanding programme of ICC global events and strong bilateral and domestic cricket and this FTP is designed to allow all cricket to flourish,” ICC GM of Cricket Wasim Khan said in a press release published by the ICC.
“The 2023-2027 FTP is very pleasing for Bangladesh,” BCB Chief Executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said. “We have received a healthy share of matches against members across formats. This FTP is also a credit to the efforts of the ICC scheduling team and the member Boards and the cooperation between the stakeholders.”
Bangladesh are currently busy preparing for the Asia Cup 2022 starting on August 27 in the UAE. The BCB has already announced a squad for the Asia Cup with Shakib Al Hasan being the captain.
Is the future of ODI cricket in jeopardy?
One-day cricket was without a doubt the most popular format among cricket players and spectators from the 1980s through the first decade of the 2000s. One-day cricket was developed with the intent of expanding the game's appeal and fan base. The format quickly gained popularity and grabbed the attention of more unconventional cricket fans, and thus the purpose was fulfilled. However, ODI cricket has been experiencing an existential crisis since the ICC introduced T20 in 2005. Is it time for the ICC to reevaluate the future of the ODI format?
How did the ODI format help cricket gain popularity?
Australia and England played the first-ever ODI match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on January 5, 1971. Initially, it started off as a Test match, but it rained out for the first three days. The two sides then opted to play a one-day match with 40 overs (eight balls each over) for each side. Australia won the inaugural ODI by five wickets, creating history.
Fans witnessed aggression from the batters; fielders were more active in the field to save runs; and there was urgency as the overs were limited. These factors during the match made the spectators more interested in the format. The ICC realized that limited overs is the future of cricket, at least to reach a wider audience.
Read West Indies vs India Series 2022: Head-to-Head Stats and Full Fixtures
The International Cricket Council decided to organize a World Cup event every four years. The first edition of the competition was held in 1975 in England. One-day cricket is played in white dress and with a red ball. The ICC organized the first three ODI World Cups with 60-overs per side, which was reduced to 50-overs per side from the 1987 edition.
In the meantime, Kerry Packer, an Australian media tycoon, established a World Series of Cricket competition, in which he introduced coloured uniforms, floodlights, white-ball and dark sight screens, etc. The World Series took place between 1977 and 1979. Inspired by the Kerry Packer vision for one-day cricket, the ICC later realized that making some changes was necessary to give a new look to the format. Therefore, coloured player clothing, white-ball, black sight screens, and floodlights were introduced in the 1992 World Cup.
Tri-nation and four-nation series were played regularly between the ICC’s full member teams in the 80s and 90s, which was massively popular back then. The ODI cricket series in the UAE in the late 80s and early 90s was also popular among cricket fans worldwide. The format undoubtedly helped the ICC to attract more nations to become associate members of the organization. In terms of the economic aspect, the ICC had benefited a lot. They were able to take more initiatives for the development of the game in the associated nations.
Read ICC T20 World Cup 2022: How Hard is Bangladesh’s Group 2?
The aggressiveness of the batters, the variety of the bowlers, the athleticism of the fielders, and the interesting rules for the limited-overs format made people more interested in cricket, which Test cricket couldn’t offer. Many popular cricket stars dominated ODI cricket from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. Fans were keen to see the star cricketers play for their countries in the ODI format. Overall, the one-day format laid the foundation to popularize cricket on a global platform.
The ODI World Cup always draws more spectators. One of the most popular sporting events in the world in 2019 was the 50-over Cricket World Cup, which was played in the UK. According to reports, 1.6 billion people watched the 2019 Cricket World Cup, while 4.6 billion people saw videos related to the tournament. More importantly, the UK's economy benefited by 352.6 million pounds overall. Although these numbers are quite impressive, the ODI format is slowly being overshadowed by T20I cricket.
Read Fixture revealed for matches between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh
The introduction of T20 and how has it affected the one-day format's existence?
The ICC introduced T20 cricket in 2005 with the goal of creating a new format with a shorter game duration than the previous two formats in order to compete with other international sports. People don't have to watch a match in the stadium for eight hours because the Twenty20 format can be finished in three and a half hours.
The first T20I match was held between Australia and New Zealand on February 17, 2005, which the Aussie side won by 44 runs. Two years later, the ICC organized the first-ever World Twenty20 tournament in 2007. India won the inaugural edition of the competition by beating Pakistan in the final. The championship match between India and Pakistan was the 10th most watched global TV event in the year 2007.
The International Cricket Council realized they had discovered a lucrative format after the first ICC T20 World Cup, which helped to even further popularize cricket. It was agreed to hold the competition every two years by cricket's highest regulatory body. The ICC has hosted seven T20 World Cups since 2007, and every one of them has been a huge success. Besides, the domestic T20 competitions started to kick off in the late years of the first decade of 2000.
Read ENG vs SA 2022: Revived South Africa hope to win ODI series in Manchester
According to reports, India have contributed 70% of the ICC's total revenue, implying that they have a larger market than other cricketing nations. With more than 1.2 billion people who are crazy about cricket, the BCCI had no doubt that forming a domestic T20 competition would be a huge success. The success of the ICL, a private cricket league, also encouraged the Indian Cricket Board to introduce a franchise-based T20 cricket league.
The massive interest in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008 encouraged other cricket boards to launch domestic Twenty20 competitions in their respective countries. The following years, the cricket world saw the formation of the BBL, BPL, SPL, CPL, and PSL. Besides, many T20 cricket leagues are staged each year nowadays across the world.
The richest cricket league in the world, the IPL, recently made a broadcast deal worth $6.2 billion for the next five years (2023–2027). This is an astronomical number, which suggests that the T20 format is the future of cricket in terms of economic aspects and to globalize the game. The ICC is also keen to promote the T20 format in the new territory rather than the one-day format. In the recent FTP fixtures, the number of ODIs has reduced significantly compared to the past.
Read WI vs IND ODI Series 2022: India eye whitewash, Windies aim strong show
From a player’s perspective, playing three formats is both physically and mentally draining. The former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram, the current South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock, the Australian batter Usman Khawaja and a host of ex and present cricketers, journalists and pundits have talked about the necessity of ODI cricket in the current scenario. They believe playing three formats at a time is very difficult for a player. A 50-over game has become "run-of-the-mill," according to Akram, while Khawaja believes the ODI format is slowly dying but the Test format will thrive.
England’s World Cup 2019 winning star, Ben Stokes, recently announced his retirement from one-day international cricket, citing a demanding international schedule as the reason for his decision. Ben Stokes’ decision to step aside from the one-day format, indicating his preference for playing Test cricket and support for the Twenty20 format in limited-overs cricket.
Let's take a look at how many Test, ODI, and T20 international matches have been played from 2017 to 2021 and 2012 to 2016 and see the increase in T20I matches in the last five years.
Read Asia Cup 2022 moved from Sri Lanka to UAE: Ganguly
The number of Test, ODI, and T20 international matches from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2016
Format
Matches
Test
217
ODI
592
T20I
357
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
The number of Test, ODI, and T20 international matches from January 1, 2017 to December 31 2021
Format
Matches
Test
200
ODI
522
T20I
879
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
The statistics above demonstrate unequivocally that the ICC currently favors Twenty20 cricket over ODIs. Between January 2017 and December 2021, more than 800 T20I matches were played, as opposed to just over 500 ODI matches. However, the most important fact is that whereas just 357 Twenty20 International matches were played between 2012 and 2016, 879 of them were played between 2017 and 2021.
Read BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2022: Nurul Hasan to lead young Bangladesh side
These statistics will continue to increase in the upcoming ICC FTP fixtures given how the T20 format is growing in popularity among general cricket fans. On the other hand, the number of games has remained constant in the Test format.
Way Forward
The ICC will always support Test cricket given that it's the game's traditional format. However, the one-day and Twenty20 formats require cricket's highest regulating body to make a sensible decision. The one-day format was primarily designed to increase the game's popularity. The success of ODI cricket over the past 50 years demonstrates that the mission was achieved. However, the audience test has evolved lately as more people now want entertainment that is more condensed and less time-consuming.
From both a commercial and popular perspective, T20 cricket should be the ICC's preferred brand. The one-day format has begun to lose its appeal since the introduction of T20, and in the future, this trend will continue. Additionally, it's challenging for the players to remain consistent and fit for all formats. The need for ODI cricket has been voiced by the cricketing community, and this may influence the ICC's decision in the years to come. Now time will say what will be the future of ODI cricket.
Read BAN vs ZIM 2022: 5 Bangladeshi players who can capitalize on Zimbabwe series
ICC T20 World Cup 2022: How Hard is Bangladesh’s Group 2?
The Bangladesh national men’s cricket team will play in Group 2 of the Super 12 round in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022. They don’t have to take part in the first round to qualify for the next phase, as they had to in the previous edition. It’s certainly an improvement for the team Tigers, but the teams they will face in the main event will definitely give them a hard time. Besides, the Australian conditions are another major concern for the players' ability to show their true potential in the tournament. Let’s take a look at the teams that Bangladesh will face in Group 2.
2022 T20 World Cup: The participating teams in Group 2
The confirmed participating teams in Group 2 are Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and South Africa. Two more teams will join the group after competing in the first round. Given their respective strengths, the West Indies and Netherlands are likely to advance to the Super 12 Group 2 phase.
Given the current form and strengths, Bangladesh will have to face some tough competition in Group 2. South Africa, Pakistan, and India are the top four T20I teams according to the ICC. On the other hand, if West Indies qualify to play in this group, then facing them will also be a real challenge for the Bangladesh T20I team. Recently, they lost a T20I series against the Caribbean side 2-0. Overall, Bangladesh have five wins and nine defeats against the Windies.
Read West Indies vs India Series 2022: Head-to-Head Stats and Full Fixtures
Bangladesh's only hope of winning a game will be against the team that finishes second in Group A in the first round. Except for that match, the other opponents will start as favourites against Bangladesh in their remaining matches. Bangladesh’s records against the other three confirmed teams in the group are very poor. Therefore, expecting good results against them in unfavourable conditions would not be realistic.
Bangladesh’s T20I records against India, Pakistan, and South Africa ( as on July 20, 2022)
Opposition
Match
Bangladesh Win
Bangladesh Lose
India
11
1
10
Pakistan
15
2
13
South Africa
7
0
7
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
The majority of Bangladeshi players also lack sufficient experience playing in Australian settings. There will be quick, bouncy pitches which are also suitable for batting. Bangladesh's players must quickly adjust to the environment to exhibit some tenacity against these formidable opponents.
Read England vs South Africa Series 2022: Full Fixtures, H2H Records
Bangladesh’s Super 12 fixtures in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022
The 2022 ICC Twenty20 World Cup will begin on October 16. Bangladesh will start their World Cup campaign with a match against the Group A runner-up from the first round. Team Tigers will end their Super 12 phase with a match against Pakistan. Overall, Bangladesh will play five matches in this phase. Here are the complete Super 12 fixtures of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh vs Group A Runner-Up : October 24 | Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart | Start Time: 10 a.m. (BST)
Bangladesh vs South Africa : October 27 | Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Start Time: 9 a.m. (BST)
Bangladesh vs Group B Winner : October 30 | Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane | Start Time: 9 a.m. (BST)
Bangladesh vs India : November 2 | Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Start Time: 2 p.m. (BST)
Bangladesh vs Pakistan : November 6 | Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Start Time: 10 a.m. (BST)
Bottom Line
The majority of Bangladesh’s opponents in Group 2 of the Super 12 phase are the ICC’s top-ranked teams. Teams like India, Pakistan, and South Africa are among the favourites to win the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The West Indies can also surprise everyone if the team finds the right combination during the main event. Therefore, Bangladesh have no realistic chance to qualify for the semifinals. Their main objective in the competition is to compete fearlessly against the difficult rivals. Bangladesh’s 2022 Twenty20 World Cup campaign will be deemed a success if they are able to do this.
Read Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh Series 2022: Full Fixtures and Head-to-Head Records
ICC Test Championship: Bangladesh likely to play 34 Tests in next two editions
Bangladesh's performance in the Test format has declined in recent series. They have only one win in the ongoing 2021–2023 ICC Test Championship and have lost eight out of ten matches. Despite the fact that the players haven’t shown viable improvement in the longer-version format, the latest FTP of the ICC may include 34 Tests for Bangladesh in the next two editions of the ICC Test Championship, claims cricket news portal ESPNCricninfo. Who will be Bangladesh's opponents and other major series in the next two editions of the Test Championship are discussed in this article.
Bangladesh’s probable opponents in next two editions of the ICC Test Championship
Bangladesh will likely play both England and Australia in the 2025-2027 cycles of the ICC Test Championship, which will be two big series for them. England may come to Bangladesh, while Australia's series will be away from home.
Bangladesh have a series against Pakistan in both the third and fourth editions of the Test Championship. In addition, Bangladesh will play an away series against India in the 2023–2025 cycle but not one in the 2025–2027 cycle. Here are the probable opponents of Bangladesh in the next two editions of the ICC Test Championship.
Read Is there any potential suitor to replace Tamim Iqbal in T20I cricket?
Bangladesh’s probable opponents in the 2023-2025 ICC Test Championship
Opponents
Host
New Zealand
Home
South Africa
Home
Sri Lanka
Home
India
Away
West Indies
Away
Pakistan
Away
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read WI vs BAN Series 2022: Top 7 performers from Bangladesh team
Bangladesh’s probable opponents in the 2025-2027 ICC Test Championship
Opponents
Host
England
Home
West Indies
Home
Pakistan
Home
Australia
Away
South Africa
Away
Sri Lanka
Away
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Pant and Pandya star as India wins ODI series vs. England
How many Tests will the other teams play?
Like in the first two editions, nine Test playing nations will take part in the third and fourth cycles of the ICC Test Championship. The participating teams are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. Each team will take part in six bilateral Test series, three series at home and three away series.
According to ESPNCricinfo, England will play the most Tests (42), followed by Australia (41) and India (38). Surprisingly, Bangladesh will play the fourth highest, with 32 Tests in the next two cycles, while New Zealand will play 32 Tests. The remaining four teams will play fewer than 30 Test matches in the next two editions of the competition.
Bottom Line
The second edition of the ICC Test Championship will end in March 2023. Bangladesh are in the bottom position in the points standings with one win, and they will likely finish last at the end of the competition. As per ESPNCrincfo’s report, Bangladesh will play 17 or 18 matches in the next two cycles of the Test Championship, allowing them to face some of the toughest opponents in the competition. The BCB should take this opportunity to be more serious about the development of the longer-version format. The Cricket Board should aim to instill a culture of Test cricket in the country so that fans are more interested in the format and players are more motivated to excel on the field.
Read BCB finalises next three BPL dates