ICC Annual Conference Heads to Singapore in July: Major Reforms and Cricket Innovations on Agenda Under Jay Shah’s Leadership
The ICC annual conference is set to be held in Singapore, likely in the third week of July, marking the first such meeting under the leadership of new ICC president Jay Shah. The decision to host the conference in Singapore was finalized during recent ICC meetings in Zimbabwe, making this the first time the city-state—also the home constituency of ICC vice-president Imran Khawaja—will welcome the annual gathering.
This year’s conference is expected to be significant, with several key issues on the agenda. One of the main proposals is the formation of a Working Group to review recommendations from the Cricket Committee, chaired by SouravGanguly. Among the cricketing innovations up for discussion is the potential use of a single ball from the 25th over in ODIs, a move aimed at reviving reverse swing as a tactical element in the format.
The ICC will also consider introducing in-game clocks in Test cricket to ensure that 90 overs are bowled each day, and possibly applying a strict 60-second limit between overs in white-ball formats to quicken the pace of play. Another major topic is the proposal to launch a boys’ U-19 World Cup in the T20 format, following the successful introduction of a similar event in women’s cricket.
Additionally, the conference will address the formation of a World Cricket Association, intended to restructure ICC governance and its financial distribution model. These discussions signal a potentially transformative phase for the sport’s global administration.