Cricket News: Will T20I World Cup cricket become the de facto format for the world?

Yet if there is one thing about the tournament that has been truly enjoyable, it is the number of close games and upsets that fans have gotten to witness. 

Both of Pakistan’s games up until this point have been last over thrillers, whereas Zimbabwe and Ireland have upset the apple cart with wins over Pakistan and England, respectively. 

Indeed, even the first round saw some upsets – Namibia beating defending Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka being one prime example of this. 

The fact that associate nations have been doing well in competing against the full member nations has led to a sense of unpredictability in the tournament – which is always a good thing. 

And it does lead to an interesting question – will the T20I format become the most commonly played and enjoyed worldwide? 

The answer to that question is that it already has. 

There has been a growing focus on the format since the ICC called for all T20 matches played between two nations to be classified as full or partial members, irrespective of their status within the ICC. 

Currently, over 100 nations play T20I cricket, whereas Test cricket – the game’s oldest format – has only 11 full-time member nations. 

While there may be those who disagree, Test cricket will not bring the sport to a larger audience or make it more popular. It is most likely that a small group of dedicated cricket fans will enjoy it.

However, the fast-paced nature of T20I cricket appeals to a fan who might need to become more familiar with the sport and can thus be used to popularize the game. 

It’s also worth noting that newer teams have often struggled in the more traditional formats of Tests and ODIs. 

The likes of the Netherlands, Ireland and Zimbabwe will currently need help to beat any full-time member of the ICC in either an ODI or Test match. This is simply due to the longer formats requiring more concentration and skill. 

Plus, the fact is that T20s are spreading across the world, even in countries that might not have strong cricket teams. This can be seen in the number of T20 leagues sprouting up. 

Canada has already seen a league of its own, and the USA and UAE will follow suit soon enough. T20 cricket is money – even in places where cricket is far from an established sport. 

This investment will potentially bring about a cricketing culture in these nations – further cementing the idea that T20s are indeed the future of the sport. 

There would be some who wouldn’t like this notion. After all, Test cricket has always been the pinnacle of the sport. But the sport needs new eyeballs to grow – and those won’t come from Test cricket. 

Like it or not, T20 cricket is already the format the world enjoys most. And it won’t be changing any time soon.