ICC could include more sides at next WT20

Cricket365
August 17, 2016

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Dave Richardson has hinted that the next World T20, taking place in Australia in 2020, could have more Associate sides involved.

The recently concluded World T20 in India was played in two phases with eight Associate sides joining Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the first round group stage which saw two pools of four.

Afghanistan and Bangladesh were the two teams that advanced to the Super 10 stage of the tournament joining the top eight ranked sides in the world.

The ICC has come in for criticism, especially from the Associate nations, that they are not included with the bigger teams at major events and Richardson said the current format could see one or teams added.

Richardson told Cricket Radio in an interview: "I think the format itself works. Whether we promoted those first round matches well enough, that's a question we need to answer at a later stage and review it.

"The format has worked in that all the matches, first round and second round, it's designed to create even contests between the teams and to that extent it's worked exceptionally well.

"Whether we move to perhaps increasing the size of the tournament by adding one or two teams, or one team to each group in that first round, I think if we can do that number one we'll provide more opportunities to other teams but number two, if you do lose two matches you've still got a chance in a group of five whereas in a group of four, you're dead and buried.

"That might be useful and then even maybe increasing, instead of having a Super 10 have a Super 12 maybe which will again increase the number of matches but I think it will give more opportunities for the Associate members to participate in the second round of the tournament itself."