ICC set to bring football-style Test and ODI league format in cricket - Report

Dubai: Test match and one-day international cricket is braced for a radical shake-up which could also see Afghanistan and Ireland eventually grabbing Test status, a report claimed Friday.

The International Cricket Council`s Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting has proposed a two-year Test league, a 13-team ODI league, and regional qualification for the World Twenty20, cricinfo.com reported.

If the ICC Board approves the plans, a rolling two-year Test league with a 9-3 format would start in 2019.

Under the proposals, the top nine Test-playing countries will compete among themselves and against the three lower-ranked teams.

Those three would comprise Zimbabwe and most likely Ireland and Afghanistan depending on whether they earn Test status, said the report.

"It is understood the CEC also approved a three-year, 13-team ODI league, the culmination of which will result in qualification for the 50-over World Cup, and a system of regional qualification tournaments through which teams attempt to qualify for the World T20," said cricinfo.

"And as the strongest signal yet that the short-lived era of the Big Three (India, Australia and England) is well and truly over, the overseeing of this calendar will once again become the responsibility of the ICC."