R Ashwin Backs ICC’s New World Cup Formats but Says One Big Change Is Still Missing… ‘Associate Teams Need More Matches’

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has welcomed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to revamp the formats of the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup, but believes the governing body must do more to help associate nations become competitive on the global stage.

The ICC recently unveiled new tournament structures aimed at increasing competitiveness and providing more meaningful matches during the latter stages of both World Cups. While Ashwin praised the move, he argued that sustainable growth of the sport depends on giving emerging teams regular exposure against stronger opponents.

Ashwin Calls for More Opportunities

Sharing his thoughts on social media platform X, Ashwin said the revised World Cup formats are a positive step from a competitive perspective.

However, he stressed that if cricket truly wants to expand its global footprint, associate nations should receive more opportunities beyond qualification tournaments.

Ashwin suggested that teams such as Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, USA, and Ireland should be included as a third team in bilateral series involving Full Member nations. According to him, such exposure would accelerate their development far more effectively than occasional ICC events.

He also noted that strengthening emerging cricket nations would enhance the sport’s global appeal, especially with cricket set to feature in the Olympic Games.

ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma Sends Strong Fitness Warning Ahead of England ODIs… India Captain Begins Batting Grind After Family Break

What Has the ICC Changed?

The ICC has introduced a new format for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

The tournament will feature 14 teams and follow a three-stage structure:

• A Super Series involving the teams ranked 12th to 14th, with one team advancing.
• A Group Stage featuring 12 teams split into two groups of six.
• A Super 7 round, where the top three teams from each group and the best fourth-placed side compete for four semi-final spots.

For the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the ICC has replaced the previous Super 8 stage with a Super 10 format.

Twenty teams will initially be divided into five groups of four, with the top two from each progressing to the Super 10 stage. The revised format also introduces eliminator matches, adding greater significance to every contest before the knockout rounds.

Associate Nations Continue to Push for More Games

Ashwin’s comments echo long-standing demands from several associate nations, including Nepal and Scotland, which have consistently called for more fixtures against top-ranked teams.

Many emerging sides have shown they can compete with established nations in ICC tournaments, but opportunities outside global events remain limited.

As cricket continues its expansion ahead of its Olympic return, Ashwin believes regular international exposure—not just revised tournament formats—will be essential to developing the next generation of competitive cricket nations.