How fare is ICCs decision to restrict the Associates from World Cup 2019

How fare is ICCs decision to restrict the Associates from World Cup 2019: These days, the hot topic related to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is the ICCs decision to reduce the number of participating teams in the next edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Many thoughts arise in the minds of cricket followers all over the world. A lot of them would grade this decision as a dismal one. Even, many former cricketers look unhappy with this decision. Two days back, the ambassador of this grand tournament, Sachin Tendulkar was also seen criticizing the decision and also regarded as a huge disappointment. But when we go on to check this decision practically, and then it will seem to be quite a correct one.

Firstly, the quality of cricket is missing in a few teams, blame it on ICC that the associate members are not getting equal opportunities, but when you talk about the biggest stage of cricket, you need to cope up with every team and provide good quality cricket for the spectators. All the teams regarded as the ‘Minnows’ have undoubtedly won millions of hearts, but they also need to win matches on a regular basis. Speaking of it critically, you can’t just win a match after every four years and call yourself a cricket playing nation.

The Associates come up with good bowling at times, but, again, in the current era of cricket, you need to have a consistent batting line up and a really good bowling attack. Other than Ireland and Afghanistan, the other associate members playing the current edition of the world cup, are not able to click on time and get sympathy from the cricket fans. Even, a few instances are there, when former cricketers denoted the performances of some teams as “Club level cricket”.

“Cricket needs to be globalised.” I agree. But more importantly, good quality of cricket should be encouraged. At first, ICC should manage more matches for these small teams with full-time cricket playing nations, and then, when they achieve that quality of cricket which needs to be put up in the world cup they should be able to qualify for the world cup. In a few instances, associate members are seen giving tight competition and having a few close games. But the fact is that, they play high-thriller games with each other. When the questions of playing against big countries arise, then they have failed to present a challenge.

Also when there will be lesser number of teams, then only a few test playing teams will wake up to compete. For example, teams like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, which have been declared as test playing nations long ago, they will now have to earn their seat to play the world cup. The development of cricket and time graph of these nations are not going hand in hand because they still lack the standard of cricket which they should be playing by now. They will no more be offered to play world cup cricket; in fact, they will have to prove as to why they are termed as ‘test playing nations’.

Lastly, audiences all over the world are upset by the fact that they experience big games only in the weekend when big nations clash each other. When people can predict the result of a match without even watching it, then they will have a negligible amount of interest of watching it. Small teams can be very successful in the shorter format. But in the 50-over format, you just need a right balance of playing as a unit.