The current no.1 ranked Test team India will make their debut in the ICC World Test Championship in July of 2019, according to the latest released Future Tours Program by ICC.
India will play the West Indies in their ICC World Test Championship debut in the Caribbean and then will play Sri Lanka (away) to mark their debut in the 13 team ODI league in June 2020.
"The sides will play six series in the two-year cycle on a home and away basis against opponents they have mutually selected. The two top-ranked sides will then progress to the June 2021 final to decide the World Test champions," said an ICC release on Wednesday.
"In addition, the 12 Test playing nations and the Netherlands, will participate in the 13-team ODI League, which will run from 1 May 2020 to 31 March 2022 and all the sides will play eight series over a two-year cycle on a home and away basis against mutually agreed opponents."
The ODI League, stated the ICC, will serve as a qualification pathway for the 2023 World Cup to be hosted by India. India, as hosts and the next seven highest-ranked teams in the ODI league as of March 31, 2022, will qualify directly for the World Cup while the bottom five sides will get a second chance to qualify through the ICC World Cup Qualifier.
"The agreement of this FTP means we have clarity, certainty and most importantly context around bilateral cricket over the next five years. The World Test Championship will get underway next year with the ODI league kicking off in 2020 as part of the qualification towards the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023," said the ICC Chief Executive David Richardson.
The new FTP will see India play Australia and New Zealand in January of 2019 and 2020 and their series against South Africa and Bangladesh in 2019 will come under World Test Championship.
The FTP shows two consecutive World T20 tournaments in 2020 in Australia and 2021 in India. It confirms the scraping of ICC Champions Trophy tournament, that was supposed to be played in 2021 in India.
Here are the details of the New ICC FTP:
Keep an eye out for the full year-by-year schedules for men’s cricket up to the end of 2023, starting with the remainder of 2018! ???? pic.twitter.com/VSb0u962CF
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2018
In 2019 it’s the battle of the newbies as Afghanistan and Ireland meet for a Test match. The Irish will also travel to England for a Test, and the World Test Championship will start following the conclusion of the 2019 @cricketworldcup! pic.twitter.com/lOo8JWhjXJ
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2018
In 2020, it’s the oldest Test nation against the newest with Afghanistan set to play their first ever Test in Australia following the #WT20 2020! What do you think ???????? fans, a chance for a huge scalp? pic.twitter.com/IvUdwxuUA7
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2018
In 2021, there will be another #WT20, and the first ever final of the World Test Championship! Who do you think will be in it? pic.twitter.com/owM75mtkfH
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2018
In 2022 the first ODI League finishes, with the top seven sides automatically qualifying for the 2023 @cricketworldcup, which concludes this cycle of the FTP! pic.twitter.com/icOSKGPlL4
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2018
