International Cricket Council (ICC)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body of cricket. It is responsible for the organisation and governance of cricket's major international tournaments, most notably the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, and ICC World Test Championship. It also appoints the umpires and referees that officiate at all sanctioned Test matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. The ICC promulgates the ICC Code of Conduct, which sets professional standards of discipline for international cricket, and also co-ordinates action against corruption and match-fixing through its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. The ICC does not control bilateral fixtures between member countries, which include all Test matches outside of the World Test Championship Final, and neither does it govern domestic cricket within member countries. It does not make or alter the laws of the game, which have remained under the governance of Marylebone Cricket Club since 1788.
Full Name: International Cricket Council
Abbreviation: ICC
Predecessor: Imperial Cricket Conference (1909–1965), International Cricket Conference (1965–1987)
Formation: 15 June 1909; 116 years ago
Type: International sport federation
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (since 2005)
Membership: 108 members (12 Full, 96 Associate)
Official languages: English
Chairman: Jay Shah (2024–present)
Deputy Chairman: Imran Khwaja
CEO: TBA
General Manager: Wasim Khan
Revenue: US$904.385 million (2023)
Expenses: US$208.375 million (2023)
Award(s): ICC Awards
Website: icc-cricket.com/index
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1909 | Founded as Imperial Cricket Conference by England, Australia, and South Africa. |
| 1926 | West Indies, New Zealand, and India elected as Full Members. |
| 1952 | Pakistan granted Test status. |
| 1961 | South Africa left the Commonwealth and lost membership. |
| 1965 | Renamed International Cricket Conference; US, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Fiji admitted as Associates. |
| 1973 | Decision to hold the first Cricket World Cup in 1975 in England. |
| 1981 | Sri Lanka promoted to Full Member. |
| 1984 | Affiliate membership introduced (Italy first member). |
| 1989 | Renamed International Cricket Council; MCC President no longer automatically Chairman. |
| 1991 | South Africa re-elected as a Full Member. |
| 1992 | Zimbabwe admitted as the ninth Full Member. |
| 1993 | Position of Chief Executive created; third umpire with video playback introduced. |
| 2000 | Bangladesh admitted as the tenth Full Member. |
| 2005 | Headquarters moved from London to Dubai, UAE. |
| 2017 | Afghanistan and Ireland admitted as eleventh and twelfth Full Members; Affiliate Membership abolished. |
| 2018 | All Women's T20 matches elevated to Women's Twenty20 International status. |
| 2019 | All Men's T20 matches elevated to Twenty20 International status. |
| 2022 | Cambodia, Cote D'Ivoire, and Uzbekistan granted associate member status. |
🟢 Full Members (12 Nations)
These are countries that play Test cricket, the highest standard, and have full voting rights within the ICC.
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- England
- India
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
- Zimbabwe
- Afghanistan
- Ireland
🟠 Associate Members (96 Nations)
These 96 governing bodies are in countries where cricket is firmly established and organized, but have not been granted Full Membership. They compete in ICC events like T20 World Cup qualifiers. Currently, eight associate teams have temporary ODI status until 2027.
- Nepal
- Scotland
- UAE
- Namibia
- USA
- Netherlands
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea
1. Governance of Cricket
- Sets the rules (Laws of Cricket) in collaboration with MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club).
- Oversees the Code of Conduct, DRS (Decision Review System), anti-corruption protocols, etc.
- Appoints the umpires and referees that officiate at all sanctioned international matches.
2. Organizing Global Tournaments
- ICC Cricket World Cup (50-over, every 4 years)
- ICC T20 World Cup (every 2 years)
- ICC Champions Trophy (one-day format)
- ICC World Test Championship (2021 onwards)
- U19 World Cups, Women's World Cups, and Qualifiers
3. Anti-Corruption and Security
- Operates ACSU (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit).
- Investigates match-fixing, spot-fixing, and illegal betting.
4. Revenue Distribution
- Distributes profits from ICC events to member countries.
- Major income from media rights, sponsors, and ticket sales.
5. Development of Cricket
- Supports associate nations.
- Funds coaching, infrastructure, and domestic leagues.
- Promotes women's cricket globally.
| Tournament | Format | Recent Champion |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s ODI World Cup | 50 overs | Australia (2023) |
| Men’s T20 World Cup | 20 overs | India (2024) |
| World Test Championship | Test | Australia (2023) |
| Women’s ODI World Cup | 50 overs | Australia (2022) |
| Women’s T20 World Cup | 20 overs | New Zealand (2024) |
| U19 Men’s World Cup | 50 overs | Australia (2024) |
| U19 Women’s World Cup | T20I | India (2025) |
| Champions Trophy | 50 overs | India (2025) |
The ICC publishes comprehensive player and team rankings, updated periodically, for all three formats of the game (Test, ODI, and T20I).
- Men's Team Rankings (Test, ODI, T20I)
- Women's Team Rankings (ODI, T20I)
- Men's Player Rankings (Batters, Bowlers, All-rounders)
- Women's Player Rankings (Batters, Bowlers, All-rounders)
- “Big Three” Dominance: India, England, and Australia have had disproportionate control over finances and scheduling. This issue was highlighted in the 2015 documentary 'Death of a Gentleman'.
- Revenue Model: Heavy skew in earnings favoring top full members.
- Neutral Umpiring Bias: Debates about umpiring in ICC events.
- Venue Selection: Criticism over giving major tournaments to specific countries.
- 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to be hosted by Pakistan.
- 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
- USA and West Indies successfully co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup.
- Expansion of T20 format: More associate nations included in qualifiers.
- Focus on Cricket in Olympics: Cricket to return at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (T20 format).
- Starting with the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Global Qualifiers will no longer take place; teams qualify directly based on previous T20 World Cup performance and Regional Qualifiers.
| Committee | Role |
|---|---|
| Executive Board | Main decision-making body |
| Cricket Committee | Discusses playing conditions, rules |
| Finance & Commercial Affairs | Handles revenue, sponsorships |
| Ethics and Disciplinary Committee | Reviews conduct, bans, anti-doping |
| Women’s Cricket Committee | Promotes and manages women’s game |
Since its creation, the ICC had Lord's Cricket Ground in London as its home. In 1993, its offices moved to the 'Clock Tower' building at the nursery end of the ground. To protect cricket's revenues from tax and to consolidate staff, the ICC examined other locations after the British Government declined special tax exemption. In August 2005, the ICC moved its offices to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, following an 11–1 vote by the ICC's executive board. This move also aimed to bring offices closer to the increasingly important new centres of cricketing power in South Asia, and to establish a more neutral venue away from the historical control of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
ICC Panels
- Elite Panel: Full-time ICC employees, officiate major Test and ODI matches.
- International Panel: Nominated by Test-playing boards, officiate home ODIs and assist Elite Panel.
- Associate and Affiliate International Umpires Panel: Pinnacle for umpires from non-Test playing Members, eligible for Associate ODI and Intercontinental Cup matches.
Elite Panel of ICC Referees
- Composed of highly experienced former international cricketers.
- Act as independent representatives of the ICC at all Test and ODI matches.
- Responsible for conducting hearings under the ICC Code of Conduct and imposing penalties.
- The ICC established an Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) in 2000 to combat drugs and bribery scandals.
- The ACSU monitors and investigates reports of corruption, including match-fixing and spot-fixing.
- Notable cases include former South African captain Hansie Cronje and Pakistani players Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt (2010 spot-fixing scandal).
- Protocols, such as prohibiting mobile phones in dressing rooms, have been introduced.
- An Al Jazeera investigation in 2019 revealed match-fixing in Sri Lanka, India, England, Australia, and other cricket-playing nations, leading to an ICC investigation.
- ICC has strong social media outreach and maintains its official website: https://www.icc-cricket.com.
- Provides live stats, fantasy leagues, and streaming highlights.
- Utilizes technology in umpiring, including DRS, ball tracking, and Hawk-Eye.
- Operates the ICC Global Cricket Academy (GCA) in Dubai Sports City, offering world-class training facilities.
- Telecasts a weekly program, 'ICC Cricket World', providing the latest cricket news and highlights.
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Role | Global governing body for cricket |
| Members | 12 Full, 96 Associate |
| HQ | Dubai, UAE |
| CEO | TBA |
| Major Events | World Cups (ODI, T20), WTC, Champions Trophy |
| Key Focus | Governance, development, anti-corruption, rankings, revenue |
| Vision | Global expansion of cricket, especially women’s and associate growth |