Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) for reducing the number of teams in the 2027 ODI World Cup. The 50-over showpiece was initially scheduled to feature 14 teams and will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, the ICC has now revised the format, with only 12 teams set to feature in the main tournament.
Under the new structure, the teams ranked 12th, 13th and 14th will compete in a qualifying round. Only one team from that group will advance to the main competition and join the other 12 sides. The 12 teams will subsequently be divided into two groups of six. Steve Waugh, who guided Australia to the 1999 ODI World Cup title, has questioned the reasoning behind the ICC’s decision. Speaking to The Telegraph, he described the reduction from 14 teams to 12 as a backward step.
“It was a backward step. The ODI World Cup went from 14 teams to 12. I don’t understand that rationale.” The former Australia skipper also highlighted the contrasting approach taken by FIFA at the football World Cup. “When you look at FIFA, who went from 32 to 48 teams in the last World Cup in soccer, and we’ve gone the other way in cricket.”
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Waugh believes cricket needs to provide more opportunities to emerging teams if the sport is serious about becoming a global game. “If we want it to be a global game, we’ve got to be inclusive and encourage other teams.” He also stressed that playing against stronger opponents is an important part of developing Associate cricket. “The only way you get better is through more competition and by playing those tougher teams.”
Waugh’s criticism comes after Scotland and the Netherlands also raised concerns about the revised 2027 ODI World Cup structure. Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association issued a joint statement in August, expressing disappointment with the ICC’s decision to alter the qualification pathway and tournament format less than 18 months before the competition.
The two boards argued that the changes could undermine the progress made by Associate nations and reduce meaningful opportunities for emerging teams.
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“At a time when cricket is seeking to expand its reach, attract new audiences and strengthen its position on the international sporting landscape, reducing meaningful opportunities for emerging nations sends entirely the wrong message.”
With Steve Waugh now joining Scotland and the Netherlands in voicing concerns, the ICC’s decision to reduce the 2027 ODI World Cup to 12 main-stage teams is likely to remain a major talking point in international cricket.
