The Changing Formats of ICC World Cup

The Changing Formats of ICC World Cup

The biggest event in cricketing world is approaching us yet again! The stage has been set in Australia and New Zealand where summer season is going to get even hotter with the heat of competition. ICC World Cup 2015 will start from 14^th February and will end on 29^th March. 

The First Four Events

ICC World has always been under evolution in regard of its format. In first 4 editions of the event 1975, 1979, 1983 & 1987, the tournament started with distribution of teams in 2 groups and ended with a knockout round of 2 semifinals between top 2 teams from each group, followed by a final between winners of the semi-final.

The First Change, 1992

However in 1992, the format was changed for the first time. Instead of two groups at initial stage, there was only one group comprising 9 participants among whom were the South Africans marking their entrance into International events after a 22 years international ban due to racism issues. Top 4 teams from this single group proceeded to semi-final stage and then 2 of them to the final.

The Quarter Finals, 1996

In 1996, there was again a change in format with going back to 2-groups format in first round and also with introduction of quarter-final stage in knock-out round. Top 4 teams from each group qualified for the quarter-finals and winners further proceeded to play semi-finals and final.

Super Sixes, 1999 & 2003

In 1999, the last world cup of millennium a whole a new format was introduced. Instead of quarter final stage, another group stage was introduced after the initial group stage called “Super Sixes”. Top 3 teams from both groups qualified for the super sixes, where they competed with the teams that qualified from the other group, while for the teams which qualified along with them from the same group, there was a “Points Carried Forward” System which meant that they didn’t have to compete with these teams again but all of these teams were in the same group and qualification was to depend on points of all 6 teams. Top 4 teams from this stage qualified for the semi-final stage and semi-final winners went on to play the final. The same format was carried out for the next edition of ICC Cricket World Cup which was held in 2003 in South Africa, Zimbabwe & Kenya.

Super Eight, 2007

In 2007, there was yet again another 360 degree change in the format of tournament. Instead of a two-group format at initial stage, there was a four-group format. Top 2 teams from each group qualified for the longest ever post-initial stage the “Super Eight”! Where each team had to play 6 new matches with the teams that qualified from other groups. Points for the team from same group were carried forward like the previous super sixes format. Top 4 teams from this stage were to qualify for the semi-finals and then the winners to compete in final.

Quarter Finals Again, 2011

In 2011, there was a going back to the format of 1996 i-e 2 initial groups and then going into knockout stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, only this time there were 2 more participants than that in 1996.

ICC World Cup, 2015

The coming world cup of 2015 is also going to be held on the same format as of 1996 and 2011. There are 14 participants in this event who have been divided in to 2 groups of 7 teams each. In group A there are England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Afghanistan & Scotland. While in group B there are India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland & United Arab Emirates. Top 4 teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-final round where they will face a team qualified from the other group. Then there will be Semi-finals and finally on 29^th March 2015, there will be the final match of the tournament between the victors of the semi-finals at the historic ground of MCG, Melbourne.