The decision to change the format and introduce a preliminary qualifying stage within the main tournament for the three lowest-ranked teams in the 14-team competition has drawn sharp criticism for taking away guaranteed opportunities for the associate sides to play against elite cricketing nations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cQualifying for an ODI World Cup is a huge achievement for any country, so when the reality of that opportunity changes after years of planning, it\u2019s incredibly disappointing. The ICC talks a lot about growing the game globally but decisions like this make it harder for associate nations to play against the best teams in the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThose opportunities are what helps countries improve and inspires the next generation of players. If we\u2019re serious about making cricket a global sport, we should be creating more opportunities on the global stage not less,\u201d said Edwards in a statement issued by the World Cricketers Association (WCA) on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Echoing his sentiments, Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus highlighted the profound emotional and professional stakes attached to playing global tournament for emerging nations. \u201cFor players in many countries, an ODI World Cup isn\u2019t just another tournament, it\u2019s our long form and something careers are built around and generations of players aspire to.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe all accept that you have to earn the right to be there, but we also want qualification to provide a real opportunity to compete on the biggest stage. This follows a long history of limited opportunity at associate level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On drawing parallels with other global sports, Ireland opener Paul Stirling urged cricket administrators to embrace the value that smaller nations bring to major tournaments. \u201cThe smaller and associate countries have consistently proven to add value and interest at global events. The football World Cup we\u2019ve just witnessed is testament to that in other sports and it would be great to see cricket take a similar approach to maximise opportunities for the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The lack of prior communication from the ICC also emerged as a major point of contention. Scotland captain Richie Berrington called for structural changes in how decisions are made, demanding that player voices be respected.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPlayers don\u2019t expect to make every decision, but we should be meaningfully consulted on decisions that have significant impacts on the game and on players\u2019 careers. Better decisions are made when different perspectives are brought to the table, and we\u2019re urging the game to start doing that properly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The lack of prior communication from the ICC also emerged as a major point of contention. Scotland captain Richie Berrington called for structural changes in how decisions are made, demanding that player voices be respected.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The alteration in format hampering the associate nations also found solid backing from New Zealand's senior batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell. \u201cWe are fully supportive of players and countries around the world being provided with consistent and fair opportunities to reach and compete on the game\u2019s biggest platforms,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n