Ireland cricket team is optimistic about entering the league of test players

As International Cricket Council (ICC) voted in favour of the proposed changes in both its governance structure and revenue model revamp, Ireland’s goal of becoming a Test-playing nation moved a step closer.

The talks and voting took place in Dubai on 24th April. The proposals put forward required constitutional change with a review of full membership as well as a two-tier Test structure, which is likely to see two more countries including Ireland being granted Test status. The other country is Afghanistan.

The ICC’s first independent chairman Shashank Manohar, who used to head up the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was also looking to rubber stamp a new revenue model, which would cut the share of the ‘big three’ of India, Australia and England, in a bid to boost the coffers of developing nations.

Only India, which under the old statutes received some $570 million (€534 million) voted against the ‘governance and constitutional changes’, which were passed by a 9-1 majority, while the revenue changes saw an 8-2 result with Sri Lanka Cricket also opposed.

A senior BCCI official said, as reported by the Press Trust of India: “The BCCI has voted against both as we had, in principle, maintained that all these changes are completely unacceptable for us. At this point, we can only say that all options are open for us.”

India had defeated Ireland by 8 wickets when both teams matched against in World Cup Group stage in 2015.