​The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not decided to reduce One-Day Internationals from 50 overs to 40 overs, putting an end to speculation that a sweeping format change was imminent after its Annual Conference in Edinburgh. Despite various media reports claiming that the governing body was weighing a shorter ODI format, no proposal gained approval during the meeting. The ICC Board did discuss the sport’s long-term strategy and heard presentations about restructuring cricket in the next commercial cycle, yet there was no formal decision regarding the future of the ODI format.
The conference also did not yield any breakthrough on expanding the World Test Championship (WTC) from nine to 12 teams. Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe remain outside the competition, and the ICC Board did not announce their inclusion in future editions. The annual gathering featured a briefing on the ICC’s strategic roadmap for the next cycle, and official media rights partner JioStar also addressed the Board. However, the specifics of those discussions have not been made public.
Another notable outcome of the conference was the decision to continue the suspension of USA Cricket (USAC) and Cricket Canada. USAC has been under suspension since September 2025, and while the ICC acknowledged the importance of restoring its membership in time for cricket’s return at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the Board chose to maintain the status quo. Cricket Canada, suspended in June, will remain under suspension until its internal governance issues are resolved. The ICC is also monitoring the possibility of a Canadian franchise joining Major League Cricket (MLC) before making any further decisions.
In other developments, France Cricket has been placed on notice by the ICC, while the Mauritius Cricket Federation (MCF) was officially admitted as an Associate Member. This admission brings the ICC’s global membership to 111 nations, comprising 12 Full Members and 99 Associate Members. The ICC Annual Conference took place in Edinburgh from July 8 to July 11, drawing attention to governance, strategic planning, and ongoing membership considerations as the sport looks toward future cycles and potential expansions.