According to a latest report by ESPNCricinfo, a total of 12 Full Member nations are highly likely to participate in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from the next cycle.
Furthermore, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided not to introduce the two-tier model in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) as the plan has not received widespread support from the top officials.
12 teams will participate in the next WTC cycle
Since the inception of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), nine teams have competed in it. So far, three cycles have been completed, in which New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have won the ICC Test mace, while India have finished as runners-up in the first two cycles.
From the next edition, all 12 full members will participate in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), as the working group led by Roger Tuise had pushed for during last week’s meetings in Dubai. The new teams joining the WTC will be Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.
“It guarantees that everyone is playing Test cricket. People who really want to play this format have the opportunity and there is an incentive for other teams to play them,” a board director told ESPNcricinfo. ,
There were some rumors that the ICC was introducing a two-tier model, with teams like India, Australia and South Africa in tier one and teams like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies in tier two, following a promotion and relegation system.
However, this two-tier model did not gain much support and the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan opposed the idea. Furthermore, doubts over whether the funding model could be implemented contributed to the rejection of the two-tier model.
“It was considered that India, England and Australia could support those in Division Two through financial distribution, but these talks did not progress much further,” the report said.
ODI Super League will return
In another major development, the ODI Super League is likely to return to revive 50-over cricket. Notably, the ODI Super League started in 2020, but was scrapped after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
The ODI Super League is likely to return from 2028 and it has not yet been revealed how many teams will participate in it.
An administrator quoted by the above source said, “Super League could help revive the 50-over format. Perhaps the problem is not that the format is dead, it is finding the proper structure.”
Will the teams be increased in the ODI World Cup?
The report further states that the number of teams in the ICC Cricket World Cup will not be increased and similarly, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will also not see an increase in the number of teams.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup had 10 teams compete in the last two editions, and 14 teams will compete in the next edition in 2027.
Furthermore, 20 teams will participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, the ICC’s ultimate goal is to have 32 teams participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In another development, ICC has decided not to give T10 the status of official format.
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