30 March,2015 08:25 AM IST | | PTI
The Associate cricket nations might be fuming at the prospect of a 10-team World Cup in 2019, but ICC
chairman said they had no reason to feel left out as the format gives them a good chance at qualifying for the mega-event
Melbourne: The Associate cricket nations might be fuming at the prospect of a 10-team World Cup in 2019, but ICC
chairman N Srinivasan yesterday said they had no reason to feel left out as the format gives them a good chance at qualifying for the mega-event.
ICC chairman N Srinivasan
The ICC's decision to reduce the number of teams from 14 to 10 in the next World Cup in England has been lambasted by the associate nations. The world body has also drawn criticism from some of the most prominent voices in international cricket, including Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar, who has gone to the extent of saying that the idea is detrimental to the goal of making cricket a global game.
Nothing much to worry
But Srinivasan said there is not much to be concerned about. "If you look at the next World Cup, the top eight will qualify while for the ninth and 10th team, there will be competition between six associates. So, the Associates will have a reasonably good chance at playing the World Cup. The success of the Associates is actually because of the ICC's development program," Srinivasan told Star Sports here.
As per the new qualifying system while hosts England and the top seven teams will be assured of a place in the World Cup, the Associates will have to fight it out against the sides outside the top-eight of ICC rankings in the qualifiers.
