MUMBAI: The global cricket order is about to change. The ICC on Saturday in principle agreed to radically alter the game's financial model and governance structure which will see the clout and revenue share of the Big Three - India, England and Australia - substantially reduced. The BCCI vehemently opposed the restructured revenue sharing model, but it is all set to be ratified at the ICC board's meeting in April this year.

Seven countries (member boards of ICC) voted in favour of the proposal to undo the Big Three model, while India, represented by senior banker Vikram Limaye, and Sri Lanka voted against it. Zimbabwe abstained from voting. Bangladesh, always an India supporter, felt obliged to vote in favour of the changes because they were included in the Working Group of the ICC.

Trying to ensure that the policy changes are implemented was BCCI's own past president, Shashank Manohar, who is now independent chairman of ICC. His logic: India does not deserve to earn a lion's share from the game's governing body just because it brings the lion's share to the table.

In the existing revenue model, India earns 20.3% of the ICC's global revenues. Manohar's effort has been to reduce it by around 8%, which projects a 14-year cycle loss of Rs 3,000 crore to the BCCI. The BCCI has been categorically objecting to the proposed new financial and governance models in the last few months. On Saturday, it found itself being represented by Limaye. Having come on board as member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) to run BCCI in the interim period, Limaye "expressed concern over both the documents (newly proposed financial and governance models) especially in light of the insufficient time available to the COA to take an informed view on the said proposal, and also there being no scientific basis behind the percentage distribution allocation that was being proposed other than 'good faith and equity'." Limaye requested that both proposals be taken up at the next ICC board meeting in April 2017.

But Manohar still went ahead and requested each member to vote for against the proposals in principle, to be later taken up for final approval in April. At the outset, those who are supporting the views of the BCCI are livid that despite the request for deferment, Manohar still requested for a vote on the policies, underlining that he might have been in a hurry to do so.

Sources said the question that Manohar refuses to answer is this: How can the ICC approve in principle or put to vote an option which is still open to further changes? Who decides whether the changes will even be tabled for discussion, as confirmation of the in-principle decisions at the April meeting is just a formality? ICC wants to be reasonable and fair in approach to all 105 Members and the revised constitution and financial model does that. Then how can there be still details to work through and concerns to be addressed, but the principle of change is agreed upon and is not open to debate?

"The ICC Chairman requested each member to vote for/against these proposals being base documents, to be taken up for final approval in April 2017, adding that members could suggest changes to these documents between now and the next board meeting," a statement from the BCCI read.

Limaye reiterated that the BCCI cannot consider the proposals as the official base documents as the COA was formed only four days ago and voted against the proposals.

However, the fact is that until Limaye agrees that the COA needs to take the view of erstwhile BCCI office-bearers who protected India's interests at the ICC - the April board meeting could once again see a similar result. "The changes recommended in the ICC working group have been passed in principle by the ICC Board with a commitment to consider any further representations from the members and completing the detail by the April ICC Board meeting," Manohar said.

ICC's revised revenue distribution model talks about a "more equitable distribution" of world cricket revenues. Sources in the BCCI, nevertheless, say this model - that effectively nullifies the Big Three model that was in place - wasn't passed through the ICC's own Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee in the first place.

Between now and April, it is clear that Limaye and his co-members in the COA will have to take the final call.

OTHER KEY DECISIONS

Apart from the changes recommended to the world body's constitutional and financial model, the ICC chief executives made several other important decisions...

Context to international contests: The ICC board will be presented, for full consideration in April, proposed changes in the international cricket structures. These include (a) a 9-team Test league run over a 2-year cycle, (b) remaining three Test teams to be guaranteed confirmed schedule of Tests against all other teams, (c) 13-team ODI league run over a 3-year period leading into qualification for ICC World Cup 2023 and (d) regional T20 competition structure to be developed as a pathway to qualification for the ICC World T20

Use of DRS in World T20, across formats: The ICC's chief executives' committee has agreed to "consistent use" of DRS in international cricket. The implementation is set to be considered by the ICC cricket committee in May before approval in June 2017 for roll-out from Oct 2017. In the interim, the CEC agreed that DRS will be used in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, televised games at the ICC Women's World Cup and all future ICC World T20 televised games with one review per side. Post 2017, any technology used must be checked and approved by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Authority given to ICC management to work on amending Anti-Corruption Code and allow use of cell-phone data extraction equipment. This includes exploring the legal aspects of introducing the technology.

Decision taken to suspend bad pitches and grounds. A system of demerit points for poorly-rated pitches and grounds is set to be introduced, with a venue receiving a 12-month suspension if it bags five demerit points. Each point will remain active for five years once received. 10 points will lead to a 2-year suspension.

An ICC medical advisory committee to be established to "consider and advise on sports medicine and sports science issues."

Afghanistan's Ahmad Shah Abdali Regional four-day tournament set to be awarded first-class status.