Colombo, Jul 15 (IANS): Sri Lanka is all set to host the International Cricket Council (ICC) Annual Conference in Colombo from July 19-22. It will also be the first time the annual event of cricket’s global governing body will be held in the Asian Region.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in its statement that over 220 delegates from 108 ICC member countries from across the world, covering regions such as Africa, the Americas, Asia, East Asia Pacific, and Europe will be attending the all-important annual conference.

“The pinnacle gathering of cricket administrators and stakeholders from around the globe, the ICC Annual Conference provides the platform for discussions on the strategic direction of the sport, governance, and the development of cricket worldwide,” said SLC.

It added that the theme for the upcoming conference will be “Capitalizing on the Olympic Opportunity,’ where topics such as ‘Diversity and Inclusion,’ ‘environmental sustainability and the sport,’ and ‘Cricket’s triumphant return at LA28’ will be discussed.

“This is a significant occasion for Sri Lanka, and we wish to warmly welcome the delegates from around the world to our beautiful island. We intend to use this conference to contribute to the future of cricket and showcase the beauty and heritage of our country to the world,” said Shammi Silva, SLC President.

The annual conference will consist of a series of key meetings, workshops, and networking sessions, and key decisions will be taken for the benefit of the future of the game. Notable points to watch out for will be who will be the three new Associate Member Directors in the ICC Board, as well as any modification in the term of ICC Chairman, a post currently held by Greg Barclay.

The biggest talking point, though, will be the discussion on the conduct of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, especially of the expenses on the USA leg of the tournament. The ICC had created a pop-up cricket stadium in Nassau County, Long Island, where the pitch and outfield received a lot of flak for being underprepared, as well as for being over-friendly towards bowlers.