A working group within the ICC will submit a proposal to its board proposing to expand the number of countries playing in the World Test Championship from 9 to 12, with Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland included during the next cycle from 2027.
A task force led by former New Zealand Test batsman Roger Twose is also believed to have suggested one-off Test series as part of the next cycle.
“The task force will also recommend that one-off Tests count towards points accumulated over the league’s two-year cycle,” ESPN Cricinfo said.
It is understood that if the one-off Tests are squeezed into the next cycle with a possible expansion to 12 teams, it will also mean that commercial leaders of the game India could help Ireland or Zimbabwe by playing one-off Test matches.
From now on, bilateral series of two tests are part of the WTC points cycle. For example, India will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test in Mullanpur, Punjab in June, but the result of that match will have no bearing on the WTC points table.
However, the question remains whether the Jay Shah-led ICC board will opt for expansion given the tight schedules with three established formats, a bilateral chocolate calendar and the exponential growth of franchise leagues across the globe. It should be noted that the ICC Council shot down Twos’ proposal for a two-tier test structure.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
10 Apr 2026 21:41 IST
