Photo Credit: Cricket West Indies
The West Indies commence the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the period 2023-27 with a home series against India in July-August next year that will consist of two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.
The announcement of the FTP, a result of a collective effort of Full Members with ICC’s support, ensures certainty of cricket fixtures with the confirmation of all bilateral series across the three formats. The exact dates of the series are for the Members to announce in due course.
The West Indies have two challenging tours early in the FTP, as they are scheduled to tour Australia for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is in January-February 2024, followed with a tour of Pakistan for three Tests, all Test matches being part of the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
The West Indies are also scheduled to play limited overs series against England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka apart from their Test matches to be played as part of the two WTC competitions during the FTP cycle.
The announcement of the Men’s FTP comes a day after the first ever Women’s FTP was announced.
ICC GM of Cricket Wasim Khan said: “I’d like to thank our Members for the effort that has gone into creating this FTP for the next four years. We are incredibly lucky to have three vibrant formats of the game, with an outstanding programme of ICC global events and strong bilateral and domestic cricket and this FTP is designed to allow all cricket to flourish.
“The landscape around the game is continuing to evolve and we will work closely with Members as we collectively adapt to that. We are committed to growing the game and giving more fans more opportunities to enjoy cricket, but are very mindful of the need to balance that ambition with the welfare of players.”
Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave welcomed the announcement of the FTP.
CWI CEO Johnny Grave: “Cricket West Indies (CWI) is pleased that the new Men’s (2023-2027) and Women’s (2023-2025) FTP has been agreed as it provides some certainty of our bilateral tours and matches across all formats against all other Full Member nations.
“The major highlight during the period will be our joint hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June 2024, where we will partner with the USA to deliver an event of the highest quality on and off the field. The hosting of the Men’s T20 World Cup will help to inspire the next generation of young West Indians and re-ignite the cricketing passion of our fans in the Caribbean and around the world, as well as provide a legacy and catalyst for growth of the sport within the US.
“We are also pleased that we have once again been able to secure full windows for the Indian Premier League and Caribbean Premier League for our players as we try to find a balance between our international commitments and the significant earning opportunities for our players from Domestic Leagues.
“The 2023-2027 FTP will also form part of the countdown and build-up to the centennial celebrations of West Indies participation in International Cricket. 2028 marks the 100th anniversary of our first Test match and a fantastic opportunity to commemorate all the great things about our rich cricket legacy and to promote the amazing brand of West Indies Cricket as we prepare for the historic celebrations.”
- A media release on the complete men’s FTP, an earlier media release on the women’s FTP, graphics and schedules are available in the Online Media Zone
