ICC Takes Major Step Towards Promoting Equality In Cricket, Big Change Announced For T20 WC 2030

T20 cricket has taken the world by storm as it keeps the fans and the players on the edge of their seats from the first to the last ball. In the past few years, women's cricket has gained a lot of prominence too which in the hindsight is good for the sport. Women's cricket was also a part of the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games which was held in Birmingham. This speaks volumes about the quality and the standard of women's cricket and how the players have taken it to newer heights.

ICC Announces Big Change To Ensure Gender Equality

The recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup featured 20 teams, divided in four groups. The tournament was quite a successful one despite the logistical problems that occurred both in the US and the West Indies. ICC has always worked towards ensuring that there is a sense of equality between men's and women's cricket and has now taken a massive step in this direction.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the expansion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Now a total of 16 teams will be featuring in the global event, but it will happen in the 2030 edition of the women's T20 World Cup. The tournament that initially started with 10 teams in 2009 will now feature 12 teams in 2026 before it expands to 16 in 2030.

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Decisions of Chief Executive Committee

The ICC additionally confirmed that the cut-off date for qualification will be 31 October 2024. The Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) also said that two teams each will qualify from Africa and Europe, one from the Americas, and three from a combined Asia and EAP regional final under the new structure. The CEC also confirmed the appointment of Paul Reiffel to the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee as the Elite Panel Umpire. Richie Richardson was also confirmed as the Elite Panel Referee on the Committee..