India to host 2026 ICC WC jointly with Sri Lanka – by Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka)
Photo source:Dailynews
India will host three world events in the next decade after the ICC completer the ‘Tours Programme” The ICC Board, which met over the last one week, culminating with the all-powerful board meeting on the 16th, had awarded men’s three global events to the Board of Control for Cricket in India’\.
The BCCI will host the 2026 T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka, the 2029 Champions Trophy as well as the 2031 ODI World Cup jointly with Bangladesh.The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday confirmed the 14 host countries of the ICC men’s white ball events from 2024-2031. 11 Full Members and three Associate Members have been selected to host two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and two ICC Men’s Champions Trophy events.
The USA and Namibia will host an ICC World Cup event for the first time. Whilst Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe have previously staged major events and will do so again over the next decade.
The hosts were selected via a competitive bidding process overseen by a Board sub-committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Skerritt. The ICC Board accepted the recommendations of the committee who conducted a thorough review of each bid along with ICC management. A similar process to identify the hosts for ICC Women’s and U19s events for the next cycle will be undertaken early next year.
ICC Chairperson Greg Barclay said: “We are delighted to have concluded this competitive bidding process for the first time for ICC events. To have 14 Members hosting 8 events reflects the truly global nature of our sport and I’d like to thank every Member that submitted a bid and offer our congratulations to the successful bidders.
“It is fantastic to be returning to so many previous hosts, but what is really exciting about this process is the countries who will stage ICC events for the first time including the USA which is a strategic development market for us. This gives us the opportunity to deepen our connection with fans in traditional cricket nations and also reach new fans around the world.”
Martin Snedden, Chairperson of the ICC Hosting Sub-Committee said: “We received a range of excellent bids to host the ICC Men’s events in the next cycle. We were committed to ensuring a broad spread of hosts to align with the ICC strategic objective of global growth and have ended up with 14 countries who will support that long term aim.”
Ricky Skerritt, Cricket West Indies President and ICC Board member said: “The success of this joint bid by CWI and USA Cricket will be a huge boost for our cricket. It offers a vital strategic opening to stimulate and improve cricket, and related commercial activity, in North America and the Caribbean. I take this opportunity to thank all those at ICC, USA Cricket and CWI who helped to make this 2024 venue selection decision viable.”
