Ashwin: New World Cup formats make sense but Associate teams need more

Indian spin great R. Ashwin on Thursday said the structural changes made to the ODI and T20 World Cup formats to include more teams make sense but for the game to become truly global, the ICC needs to add the lower rung sides into every bilateral series.

Following the revamp announced by the ICC on Wednesday, the 2027 ODI World Cup will be a three-stage competition and the 2028 T20 World Cup’s Super 8 phase will be expanded to accommodate 10 teams to achieve “greater context and consequence”.

Ashwin said the world body is planning in the right direction but needs to do more.

ALSO READ | Explained: How the ICC’s new ODI and T20 World Cup formats will work

“The ICC’s changes to the fixture format for the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup make sense from a competitiveness standpoint. But if the final goal is to grow the game, there needs to be a stronger pathway for emerging nations,” Ashwin posted on ‘X’.

“Teams like the Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, USA and Ireland need more meaningful matches (For example: getting added as the third team into every bilateral series), not just qualification tournaments.

“Let’s not forget, that collective growth will make this sport a spectacle at the Olympics,” he added.

His views align with the demand for more meaningful games by teams like Nepal and Scotland who showed spark in the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Published on Jul 16, 2026