Ravichandran Ashwin has welcomed the International Cricket Council‘s decision to revamp the formats of the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup, but believes structural changes to the tournaments must be accompanied by greater opportunities for emerging cricket nations if the sport is to continue expanding worldwide.
The former India spinner said the ICC‘s revised competition formats are a positive step towards improving the competitiveness of its flagship events, while arguing that long-term growth depends on giving Associate and developing nations more opportunities beyond qualification tournaments.
Ashwin calls for stronger pathway for emerging nations
“The ICC’s changes to the fixture format for the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup make sense from a competitiveness standpoint. But if the final goal is to grow the game, there needs to be a stronger pathway for emerging nations,” Ashwin wrote on X.
The ICC’s changes to the fixture format for the 2027 ODI World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup make sense from a competitiveness standpoint.
But if the final goal is to grow the game, there needs to be a stronger pathway for emerging nations.
Teams like the Netherlands, Scotland,…
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) July 16, 2026
Ashwin believes one of the most effective ways to accelerate that development would be to integrate emerging teams into regular international schedules rather than limiting them to qualification events.
“Teams like the Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, USA and Ireland need more meaningful matches (FOR EXAMPLE: getting added as the third team into every bilateral series), not just qualification tournaments,” he stated.
His comments come after the ICC approved significant changes to the structure of both tournaments, as previously reported by cricexec, with the governing body aiming to create more meaningful contests throughout each competition while maintaining opportunities for a broader range of nations to compete on the global stage.
The ICC said the revised formats are intended to deliver greater context, competitiveness and consequence across its major events. By increasing the importance of matches in each phase, the governing body is seeking to strengthen the competitive narrative from the opening rounds through to the knockout stages, while improving the overall tournament experience for players and fans.
How the 2027 ODI World Cup format will work
The 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will continue to feature 14 teams but will adopt a revised three-stage format. A preliminary Super Series involving the teams qualifying 12th to 14th will determine the final side to progress into the main competition.
From there, six teams will compete across two groups, with the top three teams from each group and the next highest-ranked side advancing to a new Super 7 stage. The seven qualifying teams will then compete in a single round-robin, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals before the tournament concludes with the final.
2028 T20 World Cup adopts Super 10 structure
The ICC has also introduced a revised structure for the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, replacing the previous Super 8 phase with a Super 10 stage. Twenty teams will initially be divided into five groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing.
Under the new format, only the winner of each Super 10 group will qualify automatically for the semi-finals. Teams finishing second will face third-placed teams from opposite groups in Eliminator matches, with the winners earning the remaining semi-final places. The ICC said the revised structure is designed to add greater consequence to matches throughout the tournament while increasing the representation of emerging teams in the latter stages.
ICC updates qualification pathway for Associate nations
Alongside the format changes, the ICC also confirmed a revised qualification pathway for the 2028 T20 World Cup, retaining regional qualification events while introducing a clearer progression route for Associate Members. Scotland, following its performance at the 2026 tournament, will receive direct entry into the Europe Regional Final, while other non-automatically qualified teams from the previous edition will advance directly to the Global Qualifier.
The remaining places in the Global Qualifier will be allocated through regional competitions, with teams progressing from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and East Asia-Pacific. The highest-placed team from each region at the Global Qualifier, together with the next three best-performing sides overall, will qualify for the 2028 tournament, subject to minimum performance criteria.
The governing body has also endorsed plans for a new marquee global competition for Associate Member nations, subject to final approval following further financial and commercial review.
Ashwin links cricket’s global growth to Olympic future
For Ashwin, however, expanding tournament formats alone will not be enough to narrow the gap between Full Members and emerging cricket nations. He believes regular exposure against established international sides is essential if those teams are to continue improving and strengthen the global game.
“Let’s not forget, that collective growth will make this sport a spectacle at the Olympics,” he added.
