Dubai 17 August : Two sets of five-match series to play for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in each of the upcoming seasons of the ICC World Test Championship has been one of the main events in the ICC Men’s FTP cycle of 2023-27, which was announced on Wednesday.The 12 players in the cricket for men will participate in an aggregate of 777 international games 173 Tests, 281 ODIs, and 323 T20Is in the 2023-2027 FTP cycle , compared to 694 in the current cycle.
According to the FTP, Australia are set to host India for an all-India series of five matches in the 2023-25 cycle of the WTC and an exchange tour is scheduled to take place in the 2025-27 period.This is the first time in more than thirty years that these two nations will meet in five-match Test matches the last time was in 1992.
Australia, England and India All three countries play five-match Test series in the course of the fourth and third editions of the WTC which also includes 19 two-match series as well as five three-match series in the two seasons of the Championship that will run from 2023-25 to 2025-27.
Additionally, England, Australia and India will be featured in the most quantity of Test matches throughout the entire cycle, as they are scheduled to play 22-21 and 20 games in the longest format of the game.
India will also play one home test against Afghanistan in June 2026.In this particular series, three ODIs will be played between both teams.
Then in the season, India are also slated to play three away T20Is against Afghanistan.
The FTP confirms India will host 38 tests in the 2023-27 WTC cycle to begin after IPL 2023 and 20 of which will be against Australia and England together.
In the 2023-25 cycle of WTC, India will be hosting New Zealand, England, Bangladesh as they play Australia, West Indies and South Africa away.
For the WTC cycle 2025-27, India face Australia, West Indies, South Africa at home, and play New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka away.
India do not play Pakistan in one of the above mentioned WTC cycles and play two tests against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh between 2023 and 27.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to our Members for their dedication that went into establishing this FTP for the next four years.We are extremely fortunate to have three distinct forms of the game with an incredible schedule of ICC world events as well as strong domestic and bilateral cricket.The FTP was designed to let all cricket flourish.”
“The world of cricket is constantly changing and we will be working closely with the players as we adjust to this.We are determined to expand the game and offering more fans the chance to enjoy the game, but are aware of the need to balance that goal with the well-being of the players.” stated Wasim Khan the GM of Cricket at the ICC.
Test teams outside of the WTC are also planning a quantity of tests in bilateral matches in the hope of increase the opportunities for playing in cricket’s multi-day format.The next series of the FTP also includes five significant ICC events, which will begin with the Cricket World Championship next year in India.
West Indies and the USA will host the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024.
It is then followed by the return of the Champions Trophy in 2025 to be hosted by Pakistan.India as well as Sri Lanka will jointly host the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026.
The FTP cycle will be completed off with the first Men’s Cricket World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027.
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