The ICC quarterly meetings in Dubai this week are expected to focus on a number of topics, including the governance crisis at USA Cricket (USAC), the fallout from the Asia Cup 2025 dispute between India and Pakistan, and the ICC and World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) over player-image rights. Prior to the November 7 board meeting, which will include all board heads, Cricket’s main executives will meet on November 5.
The matter is not formally on the agenda, but it is expected to be discussed informally on the sidelines and during the Board meeting on November 7. A no-handshake policy enforced by the BCCI tainted the games, and the ICC censured four players—Haris Rauf, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Sahibzada Farhan—for actions or remarks judged to be politically charged.
In the Asia Cup, where the teams faced each other three times, tensions between the PCB and BCCI escalated, mirroring those between the Indian and Pakistani governments this year.
The Asia Cup trophy itself is arguably the most difficult matter to resolve. Mohsin Naqvi, the chair of the PCB and chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), refused to walk out and take the trophy after India defeated Pakistan in the final. Since then, no one has seen the trophy, however rumors have it in an ACC office in the United Arab Emirates. Naqvi has stated that as the head of ACC, he alone will present the trophy.
It is unclear whether Naqvi, who serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, would attend the meeting in person or virtually due to his political obligations.
Given the commercial importance of the competition on the global game, board members recognize the necessity for stronger ties between India and Pakistan. It is anticipated by several members that a resolution will be outlined this week.
The ICC’s mobile gaming offering is one of its more significant strategic projects, and it is seeking a partner for it. ICC has been working on plans to launch the game, which will be compatible with mobile devices, PCs, and gaming consoles, in an effort to capitalize on what it anticipates will be a rapidly expanding revenue source.
The ICC has encountered a possible conflict with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) on the game’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, despite its continued optimism regarding the initiative. WCA recently sent a letter to its 600 players worldwide, noting that the ICC was creating a mobile game “built on your name, image, likeness (NIL), without agreeing to terms with players collectively.” Indian and Pakistani players are not members of the WCA.
During the ICC’s annual conference in July, some members proposed that the boards handle image rights directly with their players. The WCA said that this was against an agreement it had made with the ICC. The WCA has accused the worldwide governing body and certain member boards of attempting to exceed previously agreed-upon terms in order to acquire the players’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Members will provide the chief executives’ committee (CEC) with a report on their progress on obtaining such rights on Wednesday.
A medium-term strategy refresh is the goal of the ICC management, and part of that plan includes exploring new funding sources. Examining strategies to capitalize on the sport’s prevalence in an expanding number of multi-sport competitions, such the Olympics, the Commonwealth, and the Asian Games, is part of this. When it comes to making the most of their properties, the governing body will also be considering how to incorporate best practices from other sports, such as baseball, football, and tennis.
For the first time since 1900, cricket will be included in the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, and the CEC is anticipated to get an update on the comprehensive qualification methodology. The CEC is expected to have a more comprehensive understanding of how the qualifying teams—six in the men’s and women’s categories—will be selected, even if the ICC Board had approved a continental qualification procedure. Additionally, the CEC will get operational updates about cricket’s inclusion in the African Games, Pan Am Games, and 2027 European Games, as well as the 2026 Asian Games.
Four upcoming ICC events—the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup (co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia), the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup (to be held in Australia and New Zealand), the 2027 Women’s Champions Trophy, and the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup—will probably have their proposed qualification pathways reviewed and approved by the CEC. In order to enable Associate Members to fortify their domestic structure in the longer white-ball format, it will also take into account a suggestion to keep the Under-19 World Cup in the 50-overs format.
The ICC Board unanimously decided on September 23 to suspend USAC with immediate effect for substantial “breaches,” such as bringing cricket and the ICC into “disrepute” and not meeting ICC membership requirements. ESPNcricinfo was able to obtain the suspension letter from the ICC, which accused USAC of “reneging on the commitments it made” to the ICC Board during the July annual conference.
USAC avoided suspension in July after agreeing to meet the ICC Board’s requirements by October 20th, which included holding new board elections. However, USAC first filed for bankruptcy, claiming that this was a necessary step in the organization’s financial restructuring, after terminating its agreement with longtime commercial partner American Cricket Enterprise (ACE). This was not well received by the ICC, particularly as it had been collaborating closely with the US Olympics and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to get USAC’s National Governing Body designation, which is required for the USA to compete in the LA Olympics. The ICC had already been informed by the USOPC that USAC would not be granted NGB status in its existing configuration until its governance structure was changed and a new board was appointed.
In October, USAC received a follow-up communication from the ICC outlining the procedures required to lift the suspension. The ICC suggested that USAC “exit” the proceedings in a “satisfactory” way, but among other things, it informed USAC that declaring bankruptcy was a violation of membership rules. It is acknowledged that USAC must submit a six-month financial plan to the court in accordance with bankruptcy law. Since its funding has been suspended by the ICC, USAC management has been discussing a solution with the ICC. The ICC has informed USAC that it will only provide funding for cricket-related activities at this time.
To find out what to do next, USAC is supposed to write to the ICC Board, which is scheduled to meet on Friday to consider the matter.
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