Sachin Tendulkar Calls For 25-Team World Cup

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has called for the Cricket World Cup to involve 25 teams. 14 teams are currently involved in the 2015 ongoing World Cup, which is planned to be reduced to 10, for 2019.

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has criticized proposals to cut the 2019 World Cup to just 10 nations, calling it "a backward step" and suggesting the tournament should host as many as 25 teams.



"I found out the next World Cup would only be ten teams," reported ESPNcricinfo, at a private dinner in Sydney. "Which is slightly disappointing because as a cricketer I want the game to be globalised as much as possible and, according to me, this is a backwards step."



Tendulkar's argument is that it is impossible for second-tier associate nations, who are not exposed to top-level experience in the four years between tournaments, to be consistently competitive throughout a World Cup under the current system.



"Right now, they get up after four years on the cricket world's biggest platform and they're expected to play and compete with the likes of Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, so many top sides. It's unfair to them," said Tendulkar.



The current system, in which 14 teams play in the World Cup, is planned to be reduced to involve just 10 teams in the tournament, as the lack of competitveness from associate teams increases.



Since the 2011 World Cup, Ireland - an associate nation - has played only 11 One-day Internationals (ODIs) against full member nations and their captain William Porterfield has called for a "level playing field".



"Why not get Australia A, England A, New Zealand A, South Africa A, New Zealand A, India A, everyone, to go and visit these countries and play them on a regular basis," Tendulkar argued. "And see, not just 14 teams, but how can we get to 25 teams participating in the next World Cup?"



apc/rd (AFP)