Last Updated on 4 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
Mark Butcher has criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their decision to change the format of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Earlier this month, the ICC announced a host of changes for the tournament. Instead of a 14-team competition, the three lowest-ranked teams will face off in round one, also known as a “Super Series”, with only one making their way through to the “Super 12”.
In that stage, there will be two groups of six. Then, the top three – plus the best fourth-placed team, qualifies for a “Super 7” stage where every team plays each other once.
The format has been widely criticised, with players from Associate nations speaking out, as reported by Emerging Cricket.
Mark Butcher is not a fan of the 2027 ODI World Cup format
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast, Butcher said the ICC has not done right by the Associate nations. These teams spend years playing a Qualifier tournament for the opportunity to play a World Cup, and a decision this late in the piece is disappointing.
“Why make all these teams go through it? Why just not play it? If you really don’t want them about, then don’t make them travel around the world for three years trying to find themselves in a position where they might qualify for a qualifying part of the competition,” Butcher said.
“Just be honest about it. If one of the formats is there to grow the game and to be open for everybody, great. If the other one is as closed a shop as it’s ever been, then don’t put them through it.”
The critics have also pointed to the ICC’s desire to have at least one more India-Pakistan match. They get placed in the same group in every tournament, and this time could meet in the Super 7 stage provided they both qualify.
Then, there is the possibility they meet in the final.
“The bottom line, the top line, all the lines is India play Pakistan. I mean, it’s grim that all of these debates boil down to that reality. And so there’ll be a lot of bean counting,” said Wisden contributor Paul Walker.
“But the bean counters will be saying we’ve come up with a really classy move here.”
