The T20 World Cup has too many minnows, just to increase the number of teams taking part

As the ICC World Twenty20 World Cup starts today, one wonders whether (a) the first round of matches played by ‘qualified associate teams’ (read: minnows) and the two-lowest ranking ‘full members’ (read: Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) could not have played their qualifying matches to reach the rather magnanimous-sounding ‘Super 10’ before the tournament started; and (b) whether this first group stage really needs to be week-long. Cricket is played by a handful of countries. So, the pressure to widen the field and make the term ‘World Cup’ nominally valid is understandable. But will there seriously be enough interest in, say, the Netherlands-Oman game or the Scotland-Hong Kong draw this week, considering neither of these matches will be played in Amsterdam, Muscat, Edinburgh or, well, Hong Kong? And, honestly, would the quality of their cricket be worth a ‘World Cup’?

The more established cricketing nations — including the much deteriorated West Indies side and the rapidly improving Bangladesh squad — make for 10 teams. We also know the excitement minnows can bring. Remember Ireland, fuelled by a rocket called Kevin O’Brien, beating England in the 2011 T20 World Cup? But two — and not six — from this set should qualify for the Cup. Having 12 teams is no ignominy. Having 16 seems a stretch.