ICC must deliver world events
New International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Greg Barclay told Reuters on Wednesday his organisation must deliver their pinnacle events over the next three years or there will be serious financial consequences for the sport.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the ICC to reschedule three of their world tournaments, and Barclay, confirmed as chairman of the global governing body on Tuesday, said they were contracted to deliver them within the current broadcasting agreement.
"We have got to deliver the world events that are to come and those that are postponed," Barclay told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday of the agreements that expire in mid-2023. "Not just for the cricketing outcomes but there are commercial concerns as well."
The men's 2020 Twenty20 World Cup in Australia and 2021 women's World Cup in New Zealand have been moved to 2022, while the men's 2023 World Cup in India has been pushed back to later that year.
"If we fail to deliver all of those events then we will be penalised by the broadcasters and we won't receive the last of the ongoing payments," added Barclay. "That, in turn, is going to affect the ICC's ability to invest in its own programmes and enable it to make distributions to members. Unfortunately a lot of the ICC members are heavily reliant on those disbursements."
Barclay replaces interim chairman Imran Khwaja. Commercial lawyer Barclay has served as New Zealand Cricket's representative on the ICC board for the last six years.
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