HAROON LORGAT EXPLAINS REDUCED TEAMS FOR ICC WORLD CUP 2015

Haroon Lorgat explains reduced teams for ICC World Cup 2015

According to media reports, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council, Haroon Lorgat, has reiterated that the ICC World Cup 2015 will host only 10 teams as the prevailing tournament (comprising of 14 teams) has resulted in a lot of boring fixtures.

Haroon Lorgat justified the decision and said that the tournament's value cannot be compromised by having more teams.

Lorgat stated that the choice of taking 10 teams in the 2015 World Cup was considerately decided by the ICC board.

However, the arrangements and rules for the new process will be discussed in the next Executive Council meeting.

The ICC official also added, “The object of the ICC is not related to the question of getting funds by holding World Cups. It is the balance we try to achieve between excellent competition and the development of the game”.

Lorgat added that the Twenty20 format was being used only for development of the game. He said that they had expanded the World Cup to 16 teams. He was of the opinion that if the qualification was to be the route through to the World Cup, then that will make a far better World Cup from a competitive point of view.

“In the future 50-over World Cup, you will see the best 10 teams playing and in the Twenty20 cricket that will be played every alternate year, the best 16”, he said.

According to reports, Lorgat stated that the shrink in number of the teams for the future World Cup is based on ICC rankings. They will arrange matches with the teams which are at the bottom of the list to qualify in the tournament, so that the associate teams can still have a chance to play the mega event.

The performances of the associate teams have not set the ground on fire. However, minnows Ireland, Kenyaand Canada have given tough competition to Test playing nations, England, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the ongoing mega event of 2011.