The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body for cricket. It was founded in 1909 as the Imperial Cricket Conference by representatives from Australia, England, and South Africa. Over the years, it evolved into the ICC we know today, with its headquarters located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The ICC currently has 108 member nations, including 12 Full Members that play Test matches and 96 Associate Members.

History of the ICC: The ICC’s history dates back to 1909 when representatives from England, Australia, and South Africa met at Lord’s and founded the Imperial Cricket Conference. The organization expanded over the years to include more nations and changed its name to the International Cricket Conference in 1965 before adopting its current name in 1987. The ICC has played a significant role in organizing major international tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup, T20 World Cup, and ICC World Test Championship.

Functions of the ICC: The ICC is responsible for governing cricket’s major international tournaments, setting professional standards through the ICC Code of Conduct, appointing match officials for sanctioned matches, and coordinating actions against corruption and match-fixing through its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). While it does not control bilateral fixtures between member countries or govern domestic cricket within member countries, the ICC plays a crucial role in upholding integrity in the sport.

Leadership of the ICC: The Chairman heads the board of directors of the ICC. In recent years, there have been changes to the leadership structure of the ICC. Notably, in 2014, Narayanaswami Srinivasan became the first chairman of the council. Subsequent changes led to Shashank Manohar becoming the first independent elected chairman after the post of ICC president was abolished in 2016.

Evolution of Membership: From its early days with three founding members, the ICC has grown to include over 100 member nations across five regions. New classes of membership were introduced over time, such as Associates and Affiliates, allowing more countries to participate in international cricket and benefit from ICC programs aimed at developing and promoting the sport globally.

International Cricket Council (ICC) is a pivotal organization that governs international cricket, organizes major tournaments like the Cricket World Cup, sets professional standards through codes of conduct, and works towards maintaining integrity in cricket by combating corruption and match-fixing.