Expansion of T20 World Cup Discussed Following Italy’s Qualification

SINGAPORE: During its Annual General Meeting (AGM), being held here until July 20, the International Cricket Council (ICC) engaged in discussions on Saturday regarding the potential expansion of the men’s T20 World Cup to include 32 teams.

Reports indicate that the premier cricketing authority has established a six-member ‘working group’ to assess the feasibility of this expansion.

The group will be spearheaded by Roger Twose of New Zealand and will include representatives from prominent cricket-playing nations such as India, Australia, and England.

The most recent edition of the men’s T20 World Cup, which took place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in 2024, featured 20 teams, a number that will remain consistent for the next edition.

The possible increase in participating teams for the T20I event is reportedly influenced by Italy’s successful qualification for the upcoming tournament, which the ICC views as proof of the sport’s broadening reach beyond its traditional strongholds.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will maintain its structure of 14 teams competing for the title in the 2027 edition.

The 2027 tournament is already slated to include more teams than the previous two editions, which each had 10 teams.

Furthermore, the newly formed working group will also deliberate on the implementation of a two-tier system for Test cricket. Key discussion points will include promotion and relegation mechanisms, as well as the allocation of funds.

The proposal for a two-tier structure in the longest format of the game has gained substantial traction, boosted by record attendance figures at last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India, which drew 837,879 spectators.

Given the significant fan base in these countries, the ICC, under the guidance of Chairman Jay Shah, is now giving serious consideration to this concept.

According to earlier media reports, the proposed top division of Test cricket would consist of seven teams: South Africa, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

The second division would be composed of the West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe.