Basic view of the Cricket World Cup trophy. — Reuters ODI World Cup to comply with three-stage format earlier than knockout rounds.T20 World Cup group stage to consist of 5 teams as a substitute of 4.ICC board approves qualification pathway for 2028 T20 World Cup.
KARACHI: The Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) has accepted main modifications to the codecs of its flagship males’s international tournaments, introducing new competitors buildings for the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup and the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup in a bid to extend competitiveness and guarantee each match carries better significance.
The choices have been taken on the ICC Board’s annual conferences in Edinburgh, the place the Board accepted suggestions from the Chief Executives’ Committee geared toward creating extra significant contests, strengthening the aggressive construction of the tournaments and enhancing the expertise for gamers and followers.
Whereas the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup will proceed to function 14 groups, the event will now comply with a three-stage format earlier than the knockout rounds.
Underneath the revised construction, the groups ranked twelfth, thirteenth and 14th will first compete in a round-robin “Super Series”, with the winner advancing to the primary competitors.
The second stage will function two teams of six groups every. The highest three groups from every group, together with the subsequent highest-placed staff throughout each teams, will qualify for a newly launched “Super 7” stage.
The Tremendous 7 shall be performed in a round-robin format, with the highest 4 groups advancing to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will see the first-placed staff tackle the fourth-placed aspect, whereas the second-placed staff will face the third-placed staff, with the winners progressing to the ultimate.
In keeping with the ICC, the brand new construction has been designed to make sure each stage of the event carries better consequence, with significant contests from the opening match via to the ultimate whereas persevering with to supply rising nations with alternatives to compete on cricket’s largest stage.
The ICC additionally accepted vital modifications to the Males’s T20 World Cup, retaining the 20-team occasion whereas increasing alternatives for groups to stay in competition deeper into the event.
The group stage will now consist of 5 teams of 4 groups as a substitute of 4 teams of 5. The highest two groups from every group will qualify for a brand new Tremendous 10 stage, changing the earlier Tremendous Eights.
The Tremendous 10 stage will comprise two teams of 5 groups. The winners of every group will qualify instantly for the semi-finals.
A brand new Eliminator stage will even be launched, with the second-placed staff in a single Tremendous 10 group going through the third-placed staff from the opposite group. The winners of the 2 Eliminators will declare the remaining semi-final berths.
The ICC mentioned the revised format was influenced by the performances of rising groups on the 2026 Males’s T20 World Cup and is meant to extend aggressive depth whereas guaranteeing the closing matches of the Tremendous 10 stage stay vital.
The ICC Board additionally endorsed a proposal for a brand new 16-team international event completely for Affiliate Member nations, which is predicted to be performed earlier than future Males’s T20 World Cups.
The proposed occasion goals to enhance aggressive requirements amongst Affiliate groups whereas offering them with a marquee international competitors. The proposal stays topic to remaining approval by the ICC Finance and Industrial Affairs Committee at its November assembly.
The Board additionally accepted the qualification pathway for the 2028 ICC Males’s T20 World Cup.
Scotland will enter instantly into the Europe Regional Closing on account of distinctive circumstances surrounding its participation within the 2026 event.
Groups that featured within the 2026 Males’s T20 World Cup however didn’t safe computerized qualification for 2028 will advance on to the International Qualifier.
The remaining eight locations within the International Qualifier shall be stuffed via regional qualification, with two groups every qualifying from Africa, Asia and Europe, and one staff every from the Americas and East Asia-Pacific.
The best-placed staff from every area on the International Qualifier, along with the subsequent three highest-placed groups total, will qualify for the 2028 ICC Males’s T20 World Cup, topic to minimal efficiency standards.
