Jay Shah leads ICC | PC- AFP
The International Cricket Council, under Jay Shah, has made several groundbreaking decisions, including equal pay and return-to-play guidelines for post-pregnancy. However, the apex council is looking to expand the T20 World Cup.
Notably, in 2024 and 2026, the tournament was contested among 20 teams, while the number was 16 nations during the 2021 and 2022 editions.
That said, the ICC has always been determined to make the sport global, which is why they are looking to expand the marquee event.
ICC to expand T20 World Cup to 24 teams, even 32 potentially
According to a report by The Telegraph, the Jay Shah-led ICC is eyeing a 24-team T20 World Cup from 2032 onwards or even by 2030. Moreover, the show-runners of the sport are potentially looking to make it a 32-nation event.
Notably, the previous edition of the FIFA World Cup, held in Qatar in 2022, had 32 teams competing, although the football marquee event expanded to 48 teams in the recently concluded global tournament.
Also Read: Fresh T20 World Cup 2028 Update Comes To Light Involving Venues
As even associate nations tend to come closer to the bigger teams in the shortest format, upsets are witnessed time and again in the T20 World Cups. However, this expansion idea is getting criticism from the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), which called out Jay Shah's ICC for its double standards, saying it reduced opportunities for associate nations by announcing a rejigged schedule for the the next ODI World Cup.
“It is difficult to reconcile the game’s stated ambition of growing cricket globally with decisions that reduce meaningful opportunities at pinnacle events for some of the countries that stood to benefit most from genuine expansion," the WCA chief executive Tom Moffat said.
ICC rejigs format for World Cup 2027
Earlier this month, the Jay Shah-led ICC announced a never-seen-never-heard-like format for the ODI World Cup 2027, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The tournament, though, will be contested by 14 teams, but it will have a Super Series round before the group stages and a new Super 7 before the knockouts.
The 12th, 13th and 14th-seeded teams will play the Super Series round, and two of them will proceed to the next stage, where six teams in two different groups will compete.
The top three teams from each group, and the team highest ranked after the group stage, will proceed further for Super 7. Finally, four semifinalists will be picked before two finalists are selected.
MCG set to host T20 World Cup 2028 final
In other news, the next T20 World Cup in 2028, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will be played with 20 teams, with 14 cities submitting bids for hosting rights.
Although the venues have yet to be announced, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is reportedly expected to host the final of the mega-event.
“Organisers are aiming to limit the number of host venues to ensure smoother logistics, reduce travel demands and improve scheduling flexibility for teams, match officials and fans throughout the tournament,” a report from The Nation said.
“The MCG is widely viewed as the favourite to stage the title decider, adding another chapter to its rich history of hosting major ICC events,” it added.
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