LA28 qualifying process, minimum age regulation on ICC's agenda in Singapore

Minimum age regulations and the qualification process for the LA28 Olympics are among the key topics set to be decided at the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Annual Conference next week. The annual conclave is scheduled to take place from July 17 to 20 in Singapore.

The world body is understood to be considering the introduction of a minimum age requirement for players to be eligible to play international cricket. While the specific reason behind the need for such a regulation remains unclear, it is one of the topics slated for discussion by the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC). The discussion has been initiated presumably by a recommendation from its Medical Advisory Committee (MAC).

A guideline may be already in existence, decided about five years ago suggesting that 15 should be the minimum age for participation in senior international cricket. Likely, the ICC will update or amend it.

The common belief in international cricket that if one is good enough then he/she is old enough. Hasan Raza of Pakistan debuted at the age of 14, his compatriot Mushtaq Mohammad at 15 and Sachin Tendulkar 16. In the IPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi debuted at 14. Cricbuzz has reached out to the ICC for details.

LA28 teams identification process

The CEC also will decide on the process to identify teams for the 2028 LA Olympics Games, where cricket will return after 128 years. It has already been decided that six teams each in men's and women's categories will participate in the Quadrennial Games but who will be those teams is the key issue.

One suggestion is to go by the ranking and should that be the criteria, some top teams, including sides like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India lead the rankings followed by Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies in men's T20Is. The same countries - although not in that order - occupy the top-six spots in the women's T20I team rankings as well.

More pertinently, a vital question before the global cricket administrators is whether the United States teams should be granted automatic qualification by virtue of it being the host nation. ICC Chair Jay Shah was recently in Los Angeles to discuss the matter with the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

In addition to these key issues, the ICC will also deliberate on matters related to mobile gaming, a topic that has been under discussion for quite some time. The meeting will also address the ICC Women's ODI Championship regulations for women's cricket for the 2025-29 cycle that kicks off after the World Cup in India later this year.

The CEC meeting is on July 18 and, incidentally, it will be the first ICC meeting to be chaired by Sanjog Gupta, the newly-appointed CEO of the world body. The Annual Conference is also the first general body meeting to be chaired by Jay Shah, who got elected as the chairman in December last year.