'Africa Deserves A World Cup Again': Graeme Smith Hails Cricket World Cup 2027 Return To The Continent

Africa Deserves A World Cup Again: Graeme Smith Hails Cricket World Cup 2027 Return To The Continent (Image Source: IANS)

Former South Africa: Former South Africa captain and ICC Hall of Famer Graeme Smith believes the return of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup to Africa after more than two decades represents a significant milestone for the game, saying the continent 'deserves' to host another global event.

South Africa last co-hosted the Men's Cricket World Cup in 2003 alongside Zimbabwe and Kenya. The 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the venues and tournament brand unveiled during a star-studded ceremony in Johannesburg.

"It's been a long time coming since Africa or South Africa hosted a men's world cricket event again. I think the vibrancy of these three nations, the quality of players, the fan base certainly deserve a world event in the game, so it's great to have it back," Smith told ICC.

The 2027 tournament will be played across 12 venues, including eight in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. It will be only the third Men's Cricket World Cup to be staged across three host nations after the 1996 and 2003 editions.

Smith also highlighted the enduring significance of the Cricket World Cup despite the changing landscape of the sport.

The 2027 edition will be the 14th Men's Cricket World Cup and the first since 2015 to feature 14 teams, marking an expansion from the 10-team format used in the previous two editions.

Drawing comparisons with the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2026, which featured 48 teams, Smith said the expansion would add to the tournament's appeal.

"We've just come off a football World Cup where you've seen a massive amount of nations compete and the cultures and the coming together of many different countries getting behind their teams. It's amazing. With 14 teams now, you hope that many people decide to come and travel to South Africa and be a part of the event," Smith said.

"I think from a world sporting event perspective, most World Cups happen every four-year cycle. It's seen as the event to win. It's obviously got a lot more tradition, a lot more stature. I think still when you get to this ODI World Cup it's going to be intense, the fandom is going to be great. I think it's the one that everyone wants to get their hands on," he added.

"We've just come off a football World Cup where you've seen a massive amount of nations compete and the cultures and the coming together of many different countries getting behind their teams. It's amazing. With 14 teams now, you hope that many people decide to come and travel to South Africa and be a part of the event," Smith said.

"I think you've seen the fan base and the teams coming through. I think that's improved dramatically over the last few years. I think we want to see cricket grow," he said.

Article Source: IANS