馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
ICC revamps Cricket World Cup format, potentially adding India-Pakistan match
via The Namibian2 min read
The International Cricket Council ICC announced a new format for the men鈥檚 2027 one-day international World Cup, which could lead to an additional match between India and Pakistan. The 2027 tournament will feature a 12-team main group stage, with two pools of six, and a new 'super seven' stage replacing the previous 'super six' round-robin. This restructure aims to increase competitiveness and context, addressing concerns about 'dead rubbers' and sparse crowds. An additional team in the round-robin phase increases the chances of an extra India-Pakistan match, which is highly lucrative due to the passion for cricket in the subcontinent and significant broadcast rights. India and Pakistan currently only play each other in ICC events due to political tensions. The ICC also approved changes for the men鈥檚 T20 World Cup in 2028, which will remain a 20-team competition, with 10 sides qualifying from the group stage. In a separate announcement, the ICC approved a $12.82 million loan to Cricket West Indies to support the member board, acknowledging the financial challenges faced by the regional side compared to larger cricketing nations.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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