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ICC FTP draft creates two and a half month window for the IPL
Mumbai: In a move that signifies the importance of Twenty20 league cricket, the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) near-final draught Future Tours Programme (FTP) has created a two-and-a-half-month window for the Indian Premier League (IPL) every year. There are also home-season windows for the Hundred and the Big Bash League (BBL) in England and Australia’s schedules.
A report in ESPNcricinfo said that the near-final draft of the ICC’s latest FTP for men’s cricket lays out the international cricket due to be played by the 12 full members between May 2023 and April 2027. It is built primarily on two cycles of the World Test Championship (WTC), a host of ICC events, and plenty of bilateral white-ball cricket.
Over the next four years, there are very few international cricket matches scheduled from the latter week of March to the first week of June. The IPL is played during that time.
The Twenty20 Leagues also have a timeframe for England and Australia. However, the report said that, in contrast to the IPL, the Hundred and windows don’t bring international cricket to a halt. England and Australia, who have previously played both tournaments along with international games, must make room in their schedules for them.
For instance, a three-week window between July and August is free of any international cricket in every English summer in this draft FTP. The ECB has advocated for more time for England’s marquee white-ball players during scheduling discussions for this FTP, so it stands to reason that they will have more time in their marquee white-ball competition. Due to international commitments, some of England’s top players, including Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Joe Root, only participated in two games during the Hundred’s inaugural season.
Other members have also made space for their T20 leagues, said the report. For example, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)’s August-September window is all but set, though there’s only ever been a handful of international cricket played in the Caribbean in those months. Bangladesh has kept January free for the BPL in each of the last four years of FTP, said the report.
Meanwhile, another report by ESPNcricinfo.com said that as per the near-final draft FTP, India is scheduled to play 38 tests, four fewer than England (42) and three fewer than Australia (41). Only two other countries have more than 30 tests on their calendar: Bangladesh (34) and New Zealand (32). The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is a test match series between India and Australia, has five tests. This is the first time since 1992 that this has happened. India will travel to Australia for five tests in December and January 2024-25, and the return series will take place in India in early 2027. Both series are part of the next two World Test Championship cycles in 2023–25 and 2025–27, respectively.
India is also scheduled to play two five-test series against England—at home in early 2024 and away in 2025. The home series will be part of the 2023–25 World Test Championship cycle, while the five tests in England are part of the 2025–27 WTC cycle.
Apart from the series against Australia and England, India has played more than two tests in a bilateral contest only once: a three-test series at home against New Zealand in October-November 2024. The rest of India’s WTC series is limited to two tests. The report said England and Australia, on the other hand, are scheduled to play several three-test series over the next four years.
The final draft is expected to be presented at the ICC’s Annual General Meeting on 25 and 26 July 2022, in Birmingham.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
