Non-Test nations should be given the chance to qualify for the World Cup, the cricket committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in London on Wednesday.
Following a two-day meeting of the committee, where former Ireland captain Trent Johnston is the associate nation representative, ICC general manager, Dave Richardson, told reporters that they would be recommending a qualification series.
“The committee resolved to pass on the recommendation that it favoured a system of qualification for the World Cup,” he said. “That it was not restricted to the 10 full members and that there was an opportunity to qualify.”
Under plans announced during an ICC summit in Mumbai last month, participation at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups is set to be restricted to just the 10 full-member or Test nations.
That caused uproar in associate or non-Test countries such as Ireland, who beat England at this year’s World Cup and nearly qualified for the quarterfinals.
The World Cup featured 14 teams and the decision to exclude non Test-playing nations in future led to accusations that the ICC had created a ‘closed shop’ tournament. However, Sharad Pawar, the ICC president, subsequently called for the proposal to be reviewed.
DRS finds favour
The committee also recommended that the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) should be used in all international matches.
DRS finds favour
The committee also recommended that the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) should be used in all international matches.
It added that teams should be restricted to one challenge per innings in one-day and T20 games, rather than the current two. India have opposed the system from its inception but Richardson was confident of changing India’s mind.
“The level of believability in ball-tracking systems has improved,” he said.