Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed approval for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) updated formats for the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup. He believes these changes enhance competitiveness but emphasizes the need for the ICC to further promote cricket’s growth beyond traditional cricketing nations.
Ashwin highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for emerging teams to realize cricket’s Olympic aspirations. The ICC recently announced significant alterations to the structures of both white-ball tournaments, with the 2027 ODI World Cup featuring a new three-stage format and the 2028 T20 World Cup undergoing modifications to its groupings.
While acknowledging the positive intent behind the revamped competition structures, Ashwin argued that more efforts are required to bridge the gap between Full Members and Associate nations. He stressed the necessity for a more robust pathway for emerging teams to ensure their sustained development and participation in meaningful matches.
Ashwin proposed that the international cricket calendar should be adapted to offer associate teams consistent exposure against higher-ranked opponents. He emphasized the importance of providing teams like the Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, USA, and Ireland with regular competitive opportunities rather than solely relying on qualification tournaments for their progress.
The former Indian spinner emphasized that broadening the competitive landscape would be beneficial for cricket globally, especially with the sport aiming to make a return to the Olympic Games. Ashwin emphasized the significance of collective growth in making cricket a captivating spectacle at the Olympics.
