No change in format for the Under 19 Men's World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided against changing the format of the Under-19 Men's World Cup - it will continue to remain 50-overs a side. This decision was made at the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) meeting on Thursday (November 5), where there also appeared to be an overwhelming view that the world body need not engage with the World Cricketers' Association (WCA) over players' naming and image rights in mobile gaming.
A formal decision on the WCA's involvement will be taken by the ICC Board on Friday, the last day of the quarterly meeting currently underway in Dubai. However, the CEC, which met on Wednesday, did not appear in favour of involving the WCA in the gaming project that the ICC is expected to launch soon.
The CEC resolved that the Under-19 World Cup will continue to be played in the one-day format. There was a demand, particularly from the Associate Members, that the Junior World Cup be played in the Twenty20 format, as in the women's category, but it was decided that there would be no change. The Full Members of the ICC were in favour of maintaining the status quo. The past 18 editions of the tournament have been 50-over competitions. The 19th edition will be played next year in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
There were discussions on other cricketing matters, such as the stop-clock rule in Test matches. ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sanjog Gupta made a presentation on the future pathways for the game, and there were some points on how to monetise data - an area where the ICC sees huge revenue potential.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated issue of the Asia Cup controversy and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi's continued possession of the Asia Cup Trophy was not raised at the CEC. The meeting was expected to deliberate on the matter, and it is likely to come up for discussion and resolution at the Board meeting on Friday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is certain to raise the matter on Friday. It has made it clear that the issue will be escalated at the ICC meeting, and some clarity could emerge over the next couple of days. The BCCI has said on multiple occasions that the Asia Cup Trophy should come to India, as the Indian team rightfully won it on the field of play.
