Currently, the teams that have been eliminated from the World Cup semi-finals, such as England, are competing for a top-eight placement and the opportunity to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

However, even though the boards had agreed on this system in late 2021, it was not publicly announced by the International Cricket Council at the time. Sources have indicated that Disney Star, the television rights holders for international events in India, may have plans for the eight-team tournament to be a Twenty20 event instead of a one-day international cricket tournament.

To put it concisely, audiences are currently drawn to shorter formats. With the T20 World Cup taking place in the Caribbean and USA next June, there may be a challenge in accommodating the time difference for most viewers. While day games are expected, they may still result in a late finish in the subcontinent. Thus, converting the 2025 Champions Trophy to 20-over matches could help alleviate this issue.

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Another concern is the impact on the 50-over format, which was already a topic of discussion prior to this World Cup. With men’s Champions Trophies scheduled for 2025 and 2029, and men’s T20 World Cups planned for 2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030 – in addition to Twenty20 being selected for the 2028 Olympics – there would be even more oversaturation.

According to a person familiar with the broadcasting industry, this would probably eliminate the one-day format, even though some territories have already sold the rights for 50-over World Cup matches in both 2027 (in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia) and 2031 (in India and Bangladesh). As a result, bilateral ODIs would likely decrease in importance as countries focus on the shorter white-ball game during breaks in between major international tournaments.

According to a source at the global governing body, it seems unlikely that the ICC will be able to make the switch for 2025. The board has not yet received any formal proposals. However, as Disney Star has paid $3 billion to broadcast global events in India from 2023 to the end of 2027, they hold the ultimate authority over the governing body. The main focus of the men’s Champions Trophy, which was originally known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy when it began in 1998, has always been generating revenue.

Assuming it remains unchanged, the 2025 Champions Trophy, set to take place in Pakistan, with a possibility of India matches being held in the United Arab Emirates, offers advantages for cricket and specifically for a team like England. The upcoming World Cup is expected to bring a shift in players, with the younger generation of limited-overs players requiring experience in tournaments, considering the lesser significance of domestic 50-over cricket.

The upcoming team selections for the white-ball tour in the Caribbean in December will be announced soon, as team director Rob Key has returned to India. England is set to compete in three ODIs and five T20s against West Indies, and Jos Buttler has expressed his interest in playing and leading both legs of the tour.

Buttler and England’s limited-overs head coach, Matthew Mott, can breathe a little easier after the 160-run win over the Netherlands in Pune. However, Key will still expect a thorough discussion from the duo about their unsuccessful campaign, with one more match against Pakistan at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

In any case, new players will surely be added to the 50-over team. Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, and Zak Crawley – all part of the reserve squad that played against Ireland at the end of the summer – will be considered for potential promotions.

Source: theguardian.com