ICC Confirms Test Championship & ODI League

Wellington, October 14: The International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled a long-awaited, nine-nation Test championship on Friday in a bid to preserve the five-day format's status following the rapid growth of Twenty20.

While the new move by the ICC has drawn immense praise by the cricketing bodies around the world, Cricket Australia (CA) CEO James Sutherland has said that this will improve the competition structure of the game, in return creating a strong narrative for fans, alongside attracting commercial partners as well.

The World Championship, scheduled to start with the 2019 Ashes, was given the green light at a board meeting in Auckland on Friday.

England, Australia, India, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Bangladesh will play six series apiece — three home and three away — between the end of the 2019 World Cup and April 2021, with the final in June that year.

Additionally, one-day internationals will be given a shot in the arm with a new 13-team league running from late 2020, providing direct qualification for the 2023 World Cup.