The Major ICC Events – An Overlook

Over the years, cricket has grown in popularity around the world as more countries are introduced to the sport.

Cricket’s global body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), is tasked with taking the sport to every corner. And what’s a better way than organising global cricket tournaments?

By doing so, the sport gets more exposure, and fans witness fierce battles between the heavyweights of the game.

On that note, let’s delve into the major cricket tournaments organised by the ICC.

Men’s ICC Tournaments

ICC World Test Championship (WTC)

A recent addition to the global tournaments, the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is contested by 9 Test playing nations. The teams that participate in the WTC are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.

Each team plays 6 bilateral series — 3 home and 3 away — over a 2-year cycle. The top 2 teams on the points table at the end of the WTC cycle then clash in the final over 5 days.

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup (CWC)

Also known as the ODI World Cup, the 50-over tournament is the pinnacle of ICC events. The first edition of the Cricket World Cup dates back to 1975, and since then, it has been organised every 4 years.

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier

The ICC has qualification criteria in place for the Cricket World Cup. The high-ranked teams in the global ODI rankings directly qualify for the main event. While a global qualifier competition is held to fill up the last few slots. 

In the CWC Qualifier, the ICC’s low-ranked full members and associate members battle it out to book their berths in the main showdown. 

ICC Champions Trophy (CT)

Another 50-over tournament, though this is only played by top-ranked teams. The Champions Trophy is also referred to as a mini-World Cup. The first edition of the tournament was held in 1998.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

The T20 format has taken everyone by storm, and the ICC is also riding on the wave. The 20-over tournament has garnered a lot of fanfare since its inception in 2007. Riding on the back of that, the ICC conducts the T20 World Cup every 2 years.

Also Read | T20 World Cup Winners and Runners Up List

ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup

The Under-19 World Cup is mostly based on the senior World Cup, with youth teams across the globe participating in it. This tournament has helped unearth a lot of youngsters who have gone on to represent their senior national teams. The Under-19 Cricket World Cup happens every 2 years.

Women’s ICC Tournaments

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup

Similar to the Men’s Cricket World Cup, the ICC organises the World Cup for women’s teams as well. The Women’s World Cup also takes place every 2 years.

What’s fascinating is that the Women’s World Cup is the oldest cricket tournament, with its first edition taking place way back in 1973. That’s 2 years before the Men’s World Cup got off the floor!

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier

The global qualifier tournament determines the teams that will feature in the main World Cup event alongside the top-ranked women’s team. The World Cup Qualifier is held in advance of the main event.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

The T20 format has been a driving force behind women’s cricket growth. The women’s T20 tournament has been held every 2 years since 2009.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier

After securing the top positions in the regional qualifiers, teams advance to the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. The full members and associate members battle it out to seal the last few spots in the Women’s T20 World Cup.

ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup

To further strengthen women’s cricket around the world, the ICC launched the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. The youth tournament kicked off in 2023 in South Africa, with India U-19 Women’s team clinching the maiden title. The Under-19 T20 tournament will be held every 2 years, with 16 teams as participants.

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