New Delhi, 10 March (H.S):

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled its board and committee meetings slated for later this month in Doha, Qatar's capital, due to the escalating military conflict in West Asia. Scheduled for March 25-27, the gatherings were set to be the ICC's first-ever in the Gulf nation.

According to ESPNcricinfo reports, select sessions—particularly those of the finance committee—will proceed virtually in the coming weeks. While in-person reconvening in April remains a possibility, it hinges on airspace reopening to ensure safe travel for board directors, chief executives, committee members, and ICC senior leadership.

The agenda featured pivotal discussions on global broadcasting rights, as the current ICC-JioStar deal expires in 2027; initial talks on the next Future Tours Programme (FTP), with informal member consultations already underway; and cricket's qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Qatar's cricket participation has surged nearly 447% in recent years, yet restricted flights and regional instability rendered the venue unfeasible.

The West Asia crisis ripples beyond governance, with the proposed Afghanistan-Sri Lanka white-ball series in the UAE (March 13-25) now facing indefinite postponement.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar