Summary:
- The World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) is launching a review to address the sport’s “broken and unsustainable” schedule.
- A six-member panel, including Tom Harrison and Sana Mir, will propose solutions to integrate international and domestic cricket schedules.
- The review aims to resolve conflicts between national representation and career optimization for players.
The World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) has announced a major review of cricket’s currently “broken and unsustainable” scheduling system. This initiative comes in response to growing concerns about the sport’s chaotic calendar and its impact on players’ well-being and career choices. The WCA, formerly known as FICA, is determined to find a solution that allows international and domestic cricket to coexist in a more organized and clear structure.
A six-member panel will spearhead the review, including notable figures like Tom Harrison, former chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Sana Mir, the former captain of the Pakistan women’s team. The panel will work with independent consultants to gather input from players, administrators, team owners, and broadcasters. Their goal is to present recommendations to the WCA board that will address the current scheduling issues.
The WCA has highlighted that the existing model leads to confusion and forces players to make tough choices between representing their country and pursuing opportunities in domestic leagues. This situation has created a need for a new approach that offers clarity and value for players, boards, and fans alike.
Heath Mills, chair of the WCA, expressed frustration over the lack of a coherent global structure for cricket, despite the sport’s diverse formats. Research by the Professional Cricketers’ Association in May revealed that a significant majority of players are concerned about the physical strain of the domestic fixture list, with insufficient time for rest and recovery. A 2022 high-performance review by the ECB suggested reducing domestic cricket, but this was rejected by English county teams. Former England captain Joe Root has also voiced the need for scheduling reforms to benefit the long-term health of English cricket.
The review promises to be a crucial step toward restructuring cricket’s scheduling to better meet the needs of all stakeholders involved.
