Melbourne: Defending world champions Australia have called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to increase the maximum squad size for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from 15 to 17 players, citing the tournament’s expanded format and the challenges of managing injuries.
Australia’s proposal comes as the 2027 World Cup is expected to require the finalists to play 13 matches, compared with 11 matches for the finalists at the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
Under the tournament format, a team reaching the final would play:
- Five group-stage matches
- Six Super Seven matches
- One semi-final
- One final
Speaking on the issue, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said a 15-player squad can become difficult to manage if one or two players are carrying injuries.
“When one or two players in a 15-member squad are dealing with injuries, team selection becomes much more challenging,” McDonald said.
He also pointed to the logistical difficulties associated with hosting tournaments across large geographical areas, arguing that expanding squad sizes would give teams greater flexibility.
“If the tournament is being played across distant venues, logistical challenges also arise. In that situation, the number of players in the squad should be increased,” he added.
McDonald compared cricket with football, noting that FIFA allows national teams to name squads of up to 26 players, despite only 11 players being on the field at any one time.
He also highlighted that the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning Spain team played eight matches, suggesting that larger squad sizes have become common in major international sporting events to help teams cope with demanding schedules.
Australia believes increasing the World Cup squad size from 15 to 17 players would help teams better manage injuries, player workload, and travel demands during the expanded tournament.
The ICC has not announced any decision on Australia’s proposal. Any change to the World Cup playing conditions or squad regulations would require formal approval by the governing body before the start of the 2027 tournament.
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