Tendulkar calls for 25-team World Cup. Also ICFers cannot read beyond the title

[Tiger80]

Totally agree with the premise of expanding, but 25 is a bit too much IMHO. Ireland,Afghanistan UAE and Scotland. Add Namibia (a decent batting side when all their players are available) Nepal (will struggle but they've a massive fanbase and this would greatly help them) Netherlands and Papua New Guinea (game is growing there). Thats 18 teams. 3 groups of 6 ordered by ranking (Below probably arent correct, just off the top of my head) India Sri Lanka cof course :(( ) England Bangladesh PNG Nepal Pakistan SA West Indies Ireland Netherlands UAE Australia NZ Zimbabwe Scotland Namibia Afghanistan. 2 teams qualify for the super 6 stage. Top 2 of them qualify for the final. If you want more money have semi finals then Have 2 group games a day, 1 super 6 game a day and then the knock outs. Couldnt be as long as the current format, Associates get much needed exposure, tournament gets a fresh feel to it, qualifying isnt easy so group games have meaning. Yes there will be some one sided games but that happens anyway and will happen even in a FM only event so there's no avoiding them. Of course thats why it'll never happen, a WC format simply has to give India and Pakistan a near guarantee of a QF spot sadly, otherwise the ICC wont even consider it.

45-50 matches of regular teams with minnows ,who will watch that?

[bowl_out]

Let all 'A' teams play the minnows regularly... Keep WC to 14 teams, until a point comes where some 'minnows' compete strongly with the Big 8 whenever they play... WC format until then should have 14 teams in 2 groups, with Eliminators + QF + SF + Final

[Donal Cozzie]

i quite like the format for the next world cup by ICC' date='though what the ICC could do is play multilateral series among the associates and A-teams of top sides[/quote'] People said the same in 2011 when this event was announced as a full member only event. The ICC came out with their nonsense "Oh the Associates will get 10-15 ODI's a year vs the full members". The result? We didnt even get 10 in the last 4 years combined. Imagine they stuck with their original decision? Cricket here would be on the decline. 2 Full member A teams toured, SA (who left early but still gave us some games) and Sri Lanka for 2 ODI's. Full Member senior teams who toured were England (2 games) Australia (1 game) Pakistan (4 games) Sri Lanka (2 games, one washed out) There never will be regular A tours under the current system so even pretending it'll happen is futile as nobody cares. Imagine a 10 team WC with England, in disarray as usual. Pakistan, rapidly declining. Bangladesh A painfully average SL team. A useless hack filled WI team Zimbabwe, where cricket is dying at a very fast rate. Thats 4 decent teams in India, Australia, New Zealand and SA, who will hammer everyone else. Sound fun alright. (Do keep in mind the 10 team format is actually longer than the current one too )

[Donal Cozzie]

Its blatantly obvious cricket has to expand honestly. Zimbabwe have been destroyed at every level by corruption, racism and players leaving and Mugabe's government. Pakistan cant play at home and are declining. In Sri Lanka the sport is losing ground in the Caribbean people care more about Basketball and US sports. In SA things could go the Zimbabwe route what with the mess of a political system unfolding there. The only places where it can grow are the very places the ICC doesnt wanna know about, just sums it all up. ICC doesnt care once India Australia and England can play each other, Hell the BCCI wouldnt care either and why would they? They could easily expand the IPL and hold an ODI equivalent for 7 months of the year. Just headwrecking to see how anyone could support a world event contracting in any shape or form.

[adi B]

Seems to me finey has hacked yours . :D

:yikes:

[BeautifulGame]

The present 14 teams tournament is good.Maybe scrap the QF format and bring back the super six format which would mean every group match has meaning.But the key is to develop a structure to develop the associates by giving them regular quality matches. The best option is to have a Segunda division like in La Liga. Create a 16 team ODI league and T20 league with A teams from the top 8 nations and top 8 associates playing each other in home and away format in a 4 year circle.Atleast 3 ODIs and T20s and max of 7 match series if the boards agree.Ensure a rule that the A teams can neither be promoted or relegated .Use this league for qualification process of both T20 world cup and 50 over world so that it gets proper context. This system will ensure associate teams good exposure in different conditions and plan long term and get regular practice against strong teams as well.The Test playing nations can also use this league groom their younger generation with a proper system as well.

[putrevus]

Totally agree with the premise of expanding, but 25 is a bit too much IMHO. Ireland,Afghanistan UAE and Scotland. Add Namibia (a decent batting side when all their players are available) Nepal (will struggle but they've a massive fanbase and this would greatly help them) Netherlands and Papua New Guinea (game is growing there). Thats 18 teams. 3 groups of 6 ordered by ranking (Below probably arent correct, just off the top of my head) India Sri Lanka cof course :(( ) England Bangladesh PNG Nepal Pakistan SA West Indies Ireland Netherlands UAE Australia NZ Zimbabwe Scotland Namibia Afghanistan. 2 teams qualify for the super 6 stage. Top 2 of them qualify for the final. If you want more money have semi finals then Have 2 group games a day, 1 super 6 game a day and then the knock outs. Couldnt be as long as the current format, Associates get much needed exposure, tournament gets a fresh feel to it, qualifying isnt easy so group games have meaning. Yes there will be some one sided games but that happens anyway and will happen even in a FM only event so there's no avoiding them. Of course thats why it'll never happen, a WC format simply has to give India and Pakistan a near guarantee of a QF spot sadly, otherwise the ICC wont even consider it.

This format IMO should be for 2023 cup, in 2019 same no of teams playing this world cup should play. Sachin alluded all the associate teams should be playing constantly with A teams next four years From 2017 the minnow teams which are playing in 2019 world cup should also get matches again major teams that way they are well prepared for 2019 world cup. This talk about expanding should not become lip service.It should not be going on just during world cup.It needs to happen after the world cup too.ICC must stop this nonsense of somehow minnow are spoiling the major party. Unless there is start somewhere of expanding Cricket will be facing extinction. Only subcontinent is where it popularity has risen everywhere cricket is losing to other sports. Ireland qualifying for QFs would such a slap on the face of ICC and morons who wanted 10 team world cup.

[Zero_Unit]

Then ICC should promote the game in other countries .Minnows vs regular teams is most boring thing you want to see in cricket.Sachin can become brand ambassador and promote cricket in those countries. ' date='Minnows should be kept out of world cup. they completely destroy it[/quote'] Either you DID NOT read the article or you DID NOT understand my post. Sachin is clearly talking about sending A teams which will help those so called MINNOWS grow in general. The title vs the actual article is world apart. Journalism at its best ... On contrary to your opinion about minnows should be kept away from WC. We are yet to see if Either England or Pakistan will qualify because of these so called minnows. Just putting it out there. Both us and Pak got the boot in 2007 WC because of the minnows. All in all, wc means the WORLD and not the elite.

[moniker]

Even if there are 25 strong, uber competitive teams capable of defeating the others on their given day it is simply not viable to have that many teams in the world cup. As it is, the 14 team world cup is rolling on for ages. Including just two more teams adds 14 more matches to the wc. ODIs are not the format to try to expand cricket. Do that through T20. An ODI takes fricking 8 hours to finish. Adding more teams for this wonderful, noble cause that everyone is talking about will drag the world cup on for months and destroy cricket. The other points mentioned by Tendulkar like having A teams play these associates, more matches outside of the wc etc are worthwhile. Teams like Ireland and Afghanistan should be playing FC cricket.

[CSK Fan]

Even if there are 25 strong, uber competitive teams capable of defeating the others on their given day it is simply not viable to have that many teams in the world cup. As it is, the 14 team world cup is rolling on for ages. Including just two more teams adds 14 more matches to the wc. ODIs are not the format to try to expand cricket. Do that through T20. An ODI takes fricking 8 hours to finish. Adding more teams for this wonderful, noble cause that everyone is talking about will drag the world cup on for months and destroy cricket. The other points mentioned by Tendulkar like having A teams play these associates, more matches outside of the wc etc are worthwhile. Teams like Ireland and Afghanistan should be playing FC cricket.

I think Sachin is talking more in general about how you should be looking to expand cricket and make more strong teams than limiting them. I am sure he is not expecting miracles in just 4 years or that world cup should be for experimenting.

[AmreekanDesi]

Totally agree with the premise of expanding, but 25 is a bit too much IMHO. Ireland,Afghanistan UAE and Scotland. Add Namibia (a decent batting side when all their players are available) Nepal (will struggle but they've a massive fanbase and this would greatly help them) Netherlands and Papua New Guinea (game is growing there). Thats 18 teams. 3 groups of 6 ordered by ranking (Below probably arent correct, just off the top of my head) India Sri Lanka cof course :(( ) England Bangladesh PNG Nepal Pakistan SA West Indies Ireland Netherlands UAE Australia NZ Zimbabwe Scotland Namibia Afghanistan. 2 teams qualify for the super 6 stage. Top 2 of them qualify for the final. If you want more money have semi finals then Have 2 group games a day, 1 super 6 game a day and then the knock outs. Couldnt be as long as the current format, Associates get much needed exposure, tournament gets a fresh feel to it, qualifying isnt easy so group games have meaning. Yes there will be some one sided games but that happens anyway and will happen even in a FM only event so there's no avoiding them. Of course thats why it'll never happen, a WC format simply has to give India and Pakistan a near guarantee of a QF spot sadly, otherwise the ICC wont even consider it.

youre irish right? were you binge drinking on Guiness when you made this post?

[AmreekanDesi]

anyways. as for the topic Plz read the article ffs. I thought it was the OP who made the headline but seems like cricinfo has same headline. Shame to see them be so sensationalist

[goose]

World cup football doesn't moan about San Marino versus Poland so why do we moan about UAE versus Zim?

[AmreekanDesi]

World cup football doesn't moan about San Marino versus Poland so why do we moan about UAE versus Zim?

it does moan abt san marino vs England in a wc qualifier. also they would moan if san marino would be in the WC If its significantly worse than the rest for cricket best is to have 12 teams. 6 in each group and direct entry into semis for top 2 every match would have a lot of meaning then

[Donal Cozzie]

it does moan abt san marino vs England in a wc qualifier. also they would moan if san marino would be in the WC If its significantly worse than the rest for cricket best is to have 12 teams. 6 in each group and direct entry into semis for top 2 every match would have a lot of meaning then

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Rugby_World_Cup Check the results there and compare rugby's attitude to cricket. The team that finished bottom of their group, Japan are HOSTING the next one in 2019. Also note the amount of one sided games and "minnows" in the event, but rugby doesnt have a backward mentality hence its growing. Whereas cricket is stuck in the 19th century hence its decline all over the world bar the subcontinent. CWC length would easily be solved by having 2 games per day but the TV companies dont want that so a 2 month event it is.

[AmreekanDesi]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Rugby_World_Cup Check the results there and compare rugby's attitude to cricket. The team that finished bottom of their group, Japan are HOSTING the next one in 2019. Also note the amount of one sided games and "minnows" in the event, but rugby doesnt have a backward mentality hence its growing. Whereas cricket is stuck in the 19th century hence its decline all over the world bar the subcontinent. CWC length would easily be solved by having 2 games per day but the TV companies dont want that so a 2 month event it is.

problem you don't understand is that an odi match lasts 8 hrs. no one can sit through that and enjoy it with minnows being hammered. that's why im all for it in t20s

[goose]

You need a critical mass of sides competing so that adding the odd extra 1-2 sides as each tournament rolls on doesn't disturb the format or feel of the competition. The current WC will be worth it if the same sides return stronger next time round etc...have to start somewhere.

[Donal Cozzie]

problem you don't understand is that an odi match lasts 8 hrs. no one can sit through that and enjoy it with minnows being hammered. that's why im all for it in t20s

Who's forcing you to watch?? If a "minnow" is getting hammered and you believe its game over then turn off the TV, no one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to watch the game. And FYI the 10 team WC nonsense is already being implemented in the one event everyone agrees should have 16 teams, the t20 WC. That pisstake of a preliminary round is just a glorified qualifying group. Another slap to the face of the Associates, and guess what now its staying. Hallelujah.

[adi B]

World cup football doesn't moan about San Marino versus Poland so why do we moan about UAE versus Zim?

its a 90 min affair not a 6-7 hours snoozefest(especially when its the only match of the day). i dont mind the minnows at all,i'd love the game to expand,10 team wc is a farce!! make it 16 for all i care but just ensure that an all minnow affair aint the only match of the day

[AmreekanDesi]

Who's forcing you to watch?? If a "minnow" is getting hammered and you believe its game over then turn off the TV, no one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to watch the game. And FYI the 10 team WC nonsense is already being implemented in the one event everyone agrees should have 16 teams, the t20 WC. That pisstake of a preliminary round is just a glorified qualifying group. Another slap to the face of the Associates, and guess what now its staying. Hallelujah.

12 is the best number.