ICC Consider Expanding T20 World Cup To 20 Teams: Report

The T20 World Cup looks set to be a bigger affair as the International Cricket Council are considering increasing the number of teams in the marquee event. There are currently 16 teams in the T20 World Cup with the next edition set to hosted this year in Australia. But the governing body of the game is now looking to increase the number of teams to 20, according to The Telegraph.

The ICC is mulling over increasing this number as part of broader discussions for the shape of the international cricket calendar from 2023-2031. The first T20 World Cup in this cycle is scheduled for 2024 and that edition could see 20 teams taking part in the tournament. The increase of teams is also likely to see a change in the format.

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The report claimed that one option is for all 20 teams to enter at the same stage which means that a simple format of four groups of five teams each could be used. The leading teams of the group stage will then make it to the knockout stages. Otherwise, the two-tier format currently used in the T20 World Cup – with leading countries only joining the tournament in the second stage, and other countries having to qualify from the first stage could be persisted with.

T20 best option for globalisation:

The ICC believes that T20 is the format that could globalise cricket and the apex body wants to keep pace with other sports by increasing the number of teams in the T20 World Cup. The Football World Cup will expand to 48 teams from 2026, while the Basketball World Cup now comprises 32 teams and the ICC also wants to follow the same path for cricket.

An enlarged T20 World Cup would significantly increase the prospects of the USA featuring in the competition. In recent years the ICC has targeted the US market and is fully focussed in their quest to establish cricket in the country. Teams in other major markets who could potentially benefit from an enlarged T20 World Cup include Canada, Germany.

The next ICC meeting is in March and the officials are set to talk about the enlarged T20 World Cup. The officials will also speak about the much-debated four-day Test which has not received much support from the current and former players.