Cricket’s governing body has turned to one of the world’s most powerful consulting firms as it confronts mounting structural pressures across the global game. According to a report by The Chronicle’s’ Daniel Cherny, the International Cricket Council has engaged McKinsey & Company to conduct a wide-ranging review into cricket’s long-term framework, including its crowded calendar, competition models and the balance between international and franchise cricket.
The move represents one of the most significant behind-the-scenes strategic exercises undertaken by the ICC in recent years.
McKinsey review to examine formats, franchise windows and global tournaments
The scope of the McKinsey review is expansive. It includes evaluating whether clearly defined windows should be introduced for franchise leagues, how Test, ODI and T20 cricket can more coherently coexist, and whether the current World Test Championship structure remains fit for purpose.
The prospect of reviving a global Champions League-style T20 competition — bringing together leading franchise teams from major leagues — is also understood to be under consideration.
With men’s global tournament hosting rights locked in until 2031 and forward scheduling commitments already shaping the next Future Tours Programme cycle, any transformative recommendations are unlikely to be implemented immediately. However, the decision to commission McKinsey signals a willingness within the ICC to formally assess the sport’s long-term architecture rather than rely on incremental change.
Structural pressures highlighted by WCA
The themes underpinning the review closely align with concerns raised in the World Cricketers’ Association’s Global Game Structure Report.
In its executive summary, the WCA stated: “Cricket has transformed drastically over the past decade. It is fast moving from being a ‘top down’ sport – largely funded by and focused on international cricket – to being a club-based sport with increasing control and influence from domestic T20 (DT20) leagues and private franchises,” the WCA said in its report.
The association described that transition as structural and ongoing, rather than cyclical.
“This is an inevitable shift and one that will continue to dramatically alter the global cricket landscape. It is incumbent on the game to come together to define our preferred future and establish a set of parameters to guide the next phase of cricket’s evolution – to protect its history while embracing the change that is essential to safeguard its future,” the WCA added in the report.
The findings were based on extensive consultation across cricket’s ecosystem.
“WCA has carried out a detailed review, led by an expert subcommittee and including interviews with a broad range of stakeholders representing organisations across the global game. There is a clear consensus that while cricket has strong foundations, it is facing significant risk in a number of areas,” the WCA said in the report.
The report warned that governance fragmentation and scheduling inconsistency threaten the sport’s sustainability.
“Fragmentation, inconsistency, a lack of collaboration, limited context for most international cricket, and short-term regional thinking threaten the future growth and success of the game, and in particular international cricket. Without holistic change, the game is heading towards a heavily imbalanced future on and off field. A range of solutions and structural changes have been identified in four priority areas that would improve the game’s future and drive sustainable growth for all involved in the sport. Recommended solutions are built on the premise that cricket should have global growth and competitive balance objectives, and that every cricket country is part of a global ecosystem, reliant on other countries and their players for their own success,” the WCA said in the report.
Industry calls for coordinated reform
As Cricexec previously reported in March 2025, senior player representatives have been increasingly vocal about the need for clearer scheduling governance and strategic alignment.
At the time, WCA chief executive Tom Moffat said, “The system is broken.” He added, “Without collective leadership, there is no coordinated decision-making and no prioritization of what’s best for the game as a whole.”
Moffat also warned that “Cricket is changing fast, but its transition is currently largely unmanaged at global level. There is an urgent need for cricket to reset and modernise its global scheduling, regulations and leadership to keep up with the pace of change and ensure a more balanced future.”
Other voices across the global game echoed similar concerns. Paul Marsh noted in March 2025 that “Whilst there are a number of positive trends in cricket, there is no doubt that global cricket is at an inflection point. Many of the issues highlighted in the report are challenging, but they need to be discussed if we are to create a more sustainable future in more than just a few countries.”
From the players’ perspective, the emphasis has been on preserving the integrity of international cricket while adapting to the commercial growth of domestic leagues. Pat Cummins said in March 2025, “We need to step into our future as a sport, but there are some important parts of our history, and in particular international cricket, that we want to see protected and thriving into the future.”
ICC’s strategic reset under scrutiny
The ICC and McKinsey have declined to comment publicly on the review. However, the commissioning itself reflects an acknowledgment that cricket’s global model — from revenue flows to scheduling design — may require coordinated recalibration.
According to The Chronicle’s Daniel Cherny, the review is intended to provide recommendations for a long-term framework capable of addressing franchise expansion, international context and competition coherence.
Whether the outcome results in formalised franchise windows, redesigned global competitions or enhanced governance mechanisms, the exercise marks a defining moment. With structural tensions between club and country intensifying, cricket’s leadership has opted to bring in external expertise to help chart its next phase.
