One-day cricket is "set for its biggest overhaul as the International Cricket Council proposes a new league of 13 nations with the top two teams playing off in a final," according to Tim Wigmore of the London TELEGRAPH. The plans, which will be discussed at the ICC’s annual general meeting later this month, "will come into force from 2019 and are aimed at finally giving context to bilateral tours." It is proposed teams "will play a three-match series, either home or away, against every other country, amounting to 36 ODIs each over a three-year basis." The league would be used to "determine automatic qualification, and seedings, for the World Cup, and the side finishing bottom will face relegation to the World Cricket League Championship, the second tier of one-day cricket." Afghanistan, Ireland and Scotland could be included in the league as "the ICC looks to widen the number of elite teams." Senior figures at the ICC "believe the proposals will provide one-day cricket with new relevance, which the format lacks outside the World Cup" (TELEGRAPH, 6/18).
