ICC Board Meeting 2026: Key Decisions on Pink-Ball Tests and Women's Champions Trophy

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a series of decisions during the board meeting that took place in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 31). From the usage of the pink-ball in a Test to a shift in the window for the Women’s Champions Trophy, multiple decisions were taken during the meeting.
The ICC Board approved trialling the use of a pink ball in Test Matches, with prior agreement from both teams, to maximise play in case of anticipated bad light. Undertaking research on lighting technology for match officials and venues to reduce lost play due to poor light, with ICC co-funding R&D projects alongside Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Futher, the board has decided to allow head coaches or other members if the support staff to consukt with the tean during breaks. Furtherm match officials are enabled to access Hawk-Eye data when considering reporting an illegal bowling action.
ICC Board Decisions – Key Outcomes
| Category | Decision | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 | Tournament window changed | Moved from June–July 2027 to 14–28 February 2027. |
| Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 | New tournament approved | A 10-team event featuring 5 Full Members and 5 Associate Members, selected based on rankings and previous Women's T20 World Cup qualification. |
| Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 | Tournament format | Will feature 12 teams. |
| Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 | Automatic qualification | 10 teams qualify automatically: Top 8 teams from the Women's T20 World Cup 2026, the host nation (if not already qualified), and the next highest-ranked team in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings as of 6 July 2026. |
| Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 | Remaining qualification spots | Final 2 teams will qualify through a 10-team Global Qualifier. |
| Women’s T20 World Cup 2028 | Regional qualification | Global Qualifier will be supported by Regional Qualifiers, with regional allocations to be finalized at the ICC's July meetings. |
| Associate Members | Men’s T20 World Cup qualification | ICC approved the creation of a Global Qualifier for future ICC Men’s T20 World Cups. |
| Associate Members | Proposed format | ICC management will develop a qualification pathway and competition structure for a 16-team Global Qualifier. |
| Membership Status | Cricket Canada suspended | The ICC Board suspended Cricket Canada with immediate effect due to serious breaches of membership obligations. |
| Membership Status | Player protection | Canadian national teams remain eligible to participate in ICC events despite the suspension. |
| Membership Status | Funding support | Cricket Canada can continue accessing ICC funding through a controlled mechanism overseen by ICC management for approved national team programs. |
| Membership Status | Reinstatement process | ICC will set reinstatement conditions, monitored by the ICC Normalisation Committee and ICC management before membership can be restored. |
FAQs
The meeting was held in Ahmedabad on May 31, 2026.
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