10 team world cup
(Mubashir Mahmood, Karachi)
Cricket maestro Sachin
Tendulkar has very rightly said that ICC should expand the next Cricket
World Cup to 25 teams instead of reducing the numbers of teams in the World
Cup. If 25 teams will feature in Cricket World Cup then it will surely
globalize the cricket more.
Little master ‘Tendulkar’ also gave great idea that Test playing nations
must send their ‘A’ teams to Associate cricket countries. This will help in
increasing their game.
However ICC wants that World Cup is played like 1992 format where all the
team (nine) played against each other before semi-finals. That was very nice
format and was also interesting but if ICC now goes with that format (ICC
now thinking of 10 teams) the game will not be globalize.
If ICC wants to top teams to play against each other then Champions Trophy
can be played between top 5 ranking teams. Previously Champions Trophy had
been played but in those tournaments eight teams played and were placed in
two groups.
I hope that ICC will take the appropriate decision after considering all the
options and discussing with former cricket greats, cricket boards and also
with associate team cricket board.