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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Ali Martin

Cricket World Cup in fresh shake-up with India v Pakistan double on cards

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan with Virat Kohli at the 2023 World Cup
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan with Virat Kohli during India’s meeting with Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup. Photograph: Rajanish Kakade/AP

The men’s Cricket World Cup will undergo yet another revamp when it takes place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia next year. A convoluted 14-team format has been officially confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), albeit one that trims the competing nations to 12 almost immediately.

While at the last two World Cups the 10 teams played a round-robin league stage that produced four semi-finalists, the expanded 2027 edition will begin with the three lowest-ranked teams out of the 14 qualifiers playing what has been called a “Super Series”. Only one of these teams will progress through to the main event.

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