ICC wants 14 teams for ODI World Cup again | Cricket News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: The 2027 ODI World Cup will be played between 14 teams. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is keen to go back to the tried and tested format after playing the last World Cup in 2019 with 10 Test-playing nations.
ICC has also decided to have 20 teams for T20 World Cups from the next edition. The Champions Trophy will be brought back in 2025 and 2029 and will be played between eight teams.
“The ICC board has discussed to get 14 teams for the next World Cup. It will help the sport to grow at a better pace. The 10-team format didn’t serve that purpose,” sources from the ICC’s board meeting told TOI on Tuesday.
TOI understands the ICC board has suggested reverting to the Super Six format of the tournament. The Super Six format was used from 1999 to 2007. It was junked after India failed to go beyond the first round in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. The 2011 and 2015 World Cup had quarterfinals.
It is believed that the ODI Super League will gain greater significance over the next two years and ICC’s associate members will have greater incentive in promoting the game in their countries.
“The 10-team format did have some quality cricket but it got long and winding. A lot of the matches in the back end of the league stage became inconsequential as most of the semifinalists were decided early. Having 14 teams and the Super Six format could maintain a balance of promoting the game and having more quality matches,” the source said.
BCCI gets June 28 deadline for T20 World Cup
The Indian cricket board has got a deadline to take a call on how it wants to host the T20 World Cup in October-November. The BCCI had asked for some time to monitor the pandemic situation in the country which has already forced the board to suspend the IPL in the first week of May.
UAE is the backup plan for BCCI to host the T20 World Cup. Anyway, the BCCI team is currently in UAE to figure out the logistics to host the remainder of the IPL in September-October.
“BCCI will be in talks with the central government on the feasibility of hosting the showpiece event in India itself. If the situation doesn’t seem conducive, then the tournament is likely to be moved to UAE. All the host venues in India have been told to continue with the preparations at the moment,” a BCCI official told TOI.
BCCI is also mulling the idea of having a one-city tournament. Mumbai has three stadiums and one can club the stadium in Pune too since it’s just about a two-hour drive from Mumbai. Ahmedabad could be used for knockouts and final since the teams could be moved in a bus from Mumbai.
World Test Championship to continue
The ICC board also decided that the World Test Championship (WTC) will continue and another four more cycles have been agreed upon. The format of the WTC had come under the scanner. Greg Barclay, while assuming charge as ICC chairman last November, had expressed apprehensions about the championship.
“The board felt that the WTC adds context to Test matches. Test cricket is trying hard to revive its popularity. Maybe a more definitive format and points system could be devised to ensure fair qualification for the finals,” an ICC board member said.
The next cycle of WTC begins with India’s five-Test series in England from August.
UAE, Muscat as backup venue for T20 World Cup
The Indian cricket board has got time till June 28 from ICC to take a call on how it wants to host the T20 World Cup in October-November. The BCCI had asked for some time to monitor the pandemic situation in the country which has already forced the board to suspend the IPL in the first week of May.
UAE and Muscat are identified as a backup plan for the BCCI to host the event. A BCCI team is currently in UAE to figure out the logistics to host the remainder of the IPL in September-October.
“BCCI will be in talks with the central government on the feasibility of hosting the showpiece event in India itself. If the situation doesn’t seem conducive, then the tournament is likely to be moved to the UAE. All the host venues in India have been told to continue with the preparations at the moment,” a BCCI official told TOI.
ICC has also decided to have 20 teams for T20 World Cups from the next edition. The Champions Trophy will be brought back in 2025 and 2029 and will be played between eight teams.
“The ICC board has discussed to get 14 teams for the next World Cup. It will help the sport to grow at a better pace. The 10-team format didn’t serve that purpose,” sources from the ICC’s board meeting told TOI on Tuesday.
TOI understands the ICC board has suggested reverting to the Super Six format of the tournament. The Super Six format was used from 1999 to 2007. It was junked after India failed to go beyond the first round in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. The 2011 and 2015 World Cup had quarterfinals.
It is believed that the ODI Super League will gain greater significance over the next two years and ICC’s associate members will have greater incentive in promoting the game in their countries.
“The 10-team format did have some quality cricket but it got long and winding. A lot of the matches in the back end of the league stage became inconsequential as most of the semifinalists were decided early. Having 14 teams and the Super Six format could maintain a balance of promoting the game and having more quality matches,” the source said.
BCCI gets June 28 deadline for T20 World Cup
The Indian cricket board has got a deadline to take a call on how it wants to host the T20 World Cup in October-November. The BCCI had asked for some time to monitor the pandemic situation in the country which has already forced the board to suspend the IPL in the first week of May.
UAE is the backup plan for BCCI to host the T20 World Cup. Anyway, the BCCI team is currently in UAE to figure out the logistics to host the remainder of the IPL in September-October.
“BCCI will be in talks with the central government on the feasibility of hosting the showpiece event in India itself. If the situation doesn’t seem conducive, then the tournament is likely to be moved to UAE. All the host venues in India have been told to continue with the preparations at the moment,” a BCCI official told TOI.
BCCI is also mulling the idea of having a one-city tournament. Mumbai has three stadiums and one can club the stadium in Pune too since it’s just about a two-hour drive from Mumbai. Ahmedabad could be used for knockouts and final since the teams could be moved in a bus from Mumbai.
World Test Championship to continue
The ICC board also decided that the World Test Championship (WTC) will continue and another four more cycles have been agreed upon. The format of the WTC had come under the scanner. Greg Barclay, while assuming charge as ICC chairman last November, had expressed apprehensions about the championship.
“The board felt that the WTC adds context to Test matches. Test cricket is trying hard to revive its popularity. Maybe a more definitive format and points system could be devised to ensure fair qualification for the finals,” an ICC board member said.
The next cycle of WTC begins with India’s five-Test series in England from August.
UAE, Muscat as backup venue for T20 World Cup
The Indian cricket board has got time till June 28 from ICC to take a call on how it wants to host the T20 World Cup in October-November. The BCCI had asked for some time to monitor the pandemic situation in the country which has already forced the board to suspend the IPL in the first week of May.
UAE and Muscat are identified as a backup plan for the BCCI to host the event. A BCCI team is currently in UAE to figure out the logistics to host the remainder of the IPL in September-October.
“BCCI will be in talks with the central government on the feasibility of hosting the showpiece event in India itself. If the situation doesn’t seem conducive, then the tournament is likely to be moved to the UAE. All the host venues in India have been told to continue with the preparations at the moment,” a BCCI official told TOI.
