Sports

IIE DIGITAL: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially confirmed a major overhaul of the Cricket World Cup, expanding the tournament from 10 to 14 participating nations from next year. The revamped format aims to make the competition more inclusive while increasing the number of high-quality matches.

The tournament will now be played in three stages before the semi-finals. The opening phase, titled the Super Series, will feature the three lowest-ranked qualified teams battling each other in a round-robin contest. The table-topper will progress to the next stage.

The second stage will include 12 teams, divided into two groups of six. Each side will play every other team in its group once, resulting in 30 matches. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed side across both groups, will qualify for the Super 7 stage.

In the Super 7 round, all seven teams will face each other once, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The first-ranked team will meet the fourth-placed side, while the second and third-ranked teams will contest the other semi-final before the winners clash in the final.

As one of the top-ranked teams, India will enter the tournament directly in the second stage, avoiding the Super Series. The Men in Blue are guaranteed at least 11 matches if they reach the Super 7 and could play a maximum of 13 games by progressing to the final.

The revised format is expected to provide greater opportunities for emerging cricketing nations while ensuring a longer and more competitive World Cup.