Fri Feb 21 20:19:00 UTC 2025: ## Cricket Calendar Chaos: MI Women’s Narrow Victory Highlights Format Clash Amidst ICC Concerns
**Dubai, UAE** – A whirlwind of cricket results highlighted the escalating clash between various formats, leaving the International Cricket Council (ICC) facing mounting pressure to address a congested and unbalanced calendar. The Mumbai Indians Women’s team secured a thrilling four-wicket victory over an unnamed opponent with just one ball to spare, while the USA team also achieved a nail-biting four-wicket win with three balls remaining. In other matches, a Kerala team won on first innings, and Western Australia triumphed by an innings and 12 runs. These diverse outcomes underscore the dominance of shorter formats, particularly T20 leagues, which are eclipsing traditional bilateral series, according to the ICC.
The ICC’s concern over the shrinking focus on Test cricket was echoed by former ICC chair Shashank Manohar, who blamed member boards’ “self-interest” for the current scheduling crisis. This sentiment was further amplified by former Cricket South Africa chair Lawson Naidoo, who described the idea of a competently run ICC as a “pipe dream.” Johnny Grave, another cricket administrator, added that the Indian, Australian, and English cricket boards bear a significant responsibility for bolstering the profile and importance of Test cricket beyond the World Test Championship. The question remains: what value does Test cricket hold for nations outside the WTC framework? The proliferation of short-format leagues, exemplified by the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, only exacerbates the problem. Some experts even suggest that cricket may need to shrink its schedule to ensure its long-term health and sustainability.
First Piper 