San Francisco Frontiers - Cricket World Cup revamp could see extra India-Pakistan clash

While next year's edition in southern Africa remains a 14-team competition, the three lowest-ranked qualifiers will now take part in a preliminary round with just one of them progressing to a 12-strong main group stage.

That will now feature just two pools of six, with a new 'super seven' stage replacing the previous 'super six' round-robin.

The restructure comes after concerns were expressed about the prospect of too many dead rubbers, which in turn would lead to sparse crowds at venues, and the number of foregone conclusions at the recent T20 World Cup.

Significantly, there will be no quarter-finals with the 50-over tournament denied the further jeopardy and interest that comes with an extra round of clear-cut knockout matches.

The ICC, however, insisted in a statement that the new ODI World Cup structure "creates greater context, competitiveness and consequence during the event."

An additional team in the round-robin phase also increases the prospects of an extra match between India and Pakistan.

The passion for cricket in the sub-continent, which in turn generates huge broadcast rights and commercial revenues for the ICC, makes a match between India and Pakistan the most lucrative in the sport.

But India and Pakistan no longer meet outside of ICC events, with political tensions between the bordering nations meaning they are effectively barred by their own governments from facing each other.

The last bilateral series India played in Pakistan was in 2006 (Test and ODI series).

Another change approved at the ICC's recent annual board meeting in Edinburgh will see the next men's T20 World Cup in 2028 remain a 20-team competition, but with 10 sides qualifying from the group stage rather than eight.

The two best performing teams in the 'Super 10' will automatically secure a semi-final spot, with a new eliminator stage to decide their opponents.

- ICC loans Cricket West Indies $12.82 million -

In a separate announcement, the ICC said it had approved an $12.82 million loan to Cricket West Indies "to support the member board".

Unlike other leading international cricket teams, the West Indies are a regional side, with the relative economic weakness of its constituent Caribbean islands and territories, allied to the travel distances involved, putting CWI at a considerable financial disadvantage compared to the 'Big Three' of India, England and Australia.

During the recent women's T20 World Cup in England, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews lamented an "unfair" funding ecosystem following her cash-strapped side's eight-wicket semi-final thrashing by Australia.

"The reason we were so successful back in 2012 to 2016 is because women's cricket was based off pure talent at that time," said Matthews.

"The minute that investment comes into the picture, we've seen the gap widen a lot...I feel like it's a bit unfair sometimes."

Will Glenwright, the ICC's head of global development, responded to Matthews's comments by telling AFP in an interview earlier this month: "I think the one truth that is perpetual is there's never enough money -- the members are always crying out for more."

E.Walker--SFF