As we already told that Only Ten Teams Will Play In Cricket World Cup 2015. ICC has confirmed that the next two World Cups will be 10-team events. The 2015 mega event will be co-hosted by Australia & New Zealand, and the 2019 World Cup will be played in England.
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat also hinted that the 1992 format could be replicated, wherein all teams play each other in a round-robin league, and the top four make it to the semi-finals.
The decision comes at the conclusion of an ICC Board meeting held in Mumbai following the conclusion of the 2011 World Cup, which was won by India in front of their home fans at the Wankhede Stadium.
The recently concluded World Cup featured 14 teams, and the league stage was played in two groups of seven each, with the top four from both group playing the quarter-finals.
In explaining the decision to rule out Associate and Affiliate countries participating in Australia and New Zealand in four years, the ICC reiterated that the ICC World Twenty20 from 2012 onwards would include 16 countries – six qualifiers joining the ten full members.
”The Executive Board confirmed their decision made in October 2010 that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand and the ICC Cricket World Cup in England in 2019 will be a 10-team event,” an ICC statement confirmed.
”The Board agreed that the 2015 World Cup will comprise the existing 10 Full Members, however, they gave notice to all Full Members that participation in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup will be determined on the basis of qualification. It was also agreed that post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 there will be promotion and relegation introduced in the ODI League.
”The Board had also decided in October 2010 that the ICC World Twenty20 will comprise 16 teams. This would allow six Associates or Affiliates the opportunity to participate in an ICC Global event every two years.”
