ICC retains 50-over format for Under-19 Men's World Cup

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided against changing the format of the Under-19 Men’s World Cup, confirming that it will continue as a 50-over-a-side tournament.

This decision was made during the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting, where members also expressed a strong view that the ICC need not engage with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) over player naming and image rights in mobile gaming projects.

A formal decision on the WCA’s involvement will be taken by the ICC Board on Friday, the final day of the quarterly meeting currently underway in Dubai. However, the CEC, which met on Wednesday, did not favour involving the WCA in the upcoming ICC gaming initiative.

The CEC further resolved that the Under-19 World Cup will continue to be played in the one-day format. While several Associate Members had proposed switching to a T20 format, similar to the women’s event, the Full Members supported maintaining the current structure. Consequently, the format will remain unchanged. The 19th edition of the tournament will be hosted by Namibia and Zimbabwe next year, following 18 previous editions that were all played in the 50-over format.

Discussions at the meeting also covered other cricketing matters, including the stop-clock rule in Test matches. ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta delivered a presentation on future pathways for the game, highlighting potential avenues to monetise cricket-related data, which the ICC views as a major source of future revenue.

Meanwhile, the Asia Cup controversy, specifically, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s continued possession of the Asia Cup Trophy, was not raised during the CEC meeting. The issue, which was expected to be discussed, is now likely to be addressed at the Board meeting on Friday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to raise the matter and seek clarity on the situation. The BCCI has maintained that the Asia Cup Trophy should be transferred to India, asserting that the Indian team rightfully won it on the field.