Top 10 changes in cricket in the past decade
As the old cliche goes, change is the only constant in life. Especially when we talk about a period as long as a decade. And true to that, the game of cricket also witnessed some major changes in the past decade.
In this article, we revisit the most significant ones to have been introduced in the past ten years.
#10. A curtailed ODI World Cup
When the World Cup was first introduced in 1975, it was meant to be a platform for cricketing excellence wherein the best would compete in a bid to achieve the pinnacle of cricketing glory. The objective was also to allow obscure cricketing nations to lock horns with the superpowers so as to expand the game's reach and transform it into a truly global sport.
The first four World Cups had eight participants each. However, with the passage of time and with the surge in popularity, the number of participants per world cup swelled. In the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups, there were 16, 14, and 14 participants respectively. While this move helped cricket expand its reach, it affected the quality on display, at times owing to the sheer number of matches (quite a few of which were one-sided/non-consequential).
To maintain the sanctity of the World Cup as the pinnacle of cricketing glory, the ICC decided to cut down on the number of teams participating in the tournament. From the 2019 World Cup onward, only 10 teams are to contest in this showcase tournament. While this move has been welcomed by a few, it has also drawn sharp criticism from a few others. However, the ICC has put its foot down and confirmed that even the 2023 World Cup will be open to ten teams only