ICC has hit a home run by organizing a 20-team T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies right now. Fans have turned up in huge numbers for the matches, the viewership numbers are good, and the unpredictability of the contests has made things more exciting.
It is already the best T20 World Cup of all time, and the next edition of this mega event will happen in the year 2026, with India and Sri Lanka being the co-hosts. The Indian team and Sri Lankan side have already qualified for the tournament because they are the co-hosts.
The format of the 2026 T20 World Cup will likely be the same as the ongoing one, but here’s a list of two other changes the International Cricket Council can make to spice things up further.
1. ICC can introduce knockouts straight after group stage
Just like the FIFA World Cup, the T20 World Cup should have the knockout round straight after the group stage ends. The Super 8s round will take place after the group stage, which may not keep things that exciting.
Next time, perhaps, ICC can keep the quarterfinals straightaway, and then the semifinals and the final. Or maybe, they can take the number of teams upto 24, and then the Round of 16 can happen.
2. Each team has to play qualifiers
Like in football, it does not matter if the team is world number one, the cricket tournament should also have the same. Only the countries which are the hosts must get a direct entry into the tournament, and the other teams, it does not matter if it is Australia, England or South Africa, they have to play the qualifiers tournaments of respective regions.
