Cricket World Cup

Format

Qualification

Main article: Cricket World Cup qualification

The Test-playing nations qualify automatically for the World Cup main event, while the other teams have to qualify through a series of preliminary qualifying tournaments. The One Day International playing nations automatically enter the final qualification tournament, the World Cup Qualifier, along with other nations who have qualified through separate competitions.

Qualifying tournaments were introduced for the second World Cup, where two of the eight places in the finals were awarded to the leading teams in the ICC Trophy.^[12] The number of teams selected through the ICC Trophy has varied throughout the years; currently, six teams are selected for the Cricket World Cup. The World Cricket League(administered by the International Cricket Council) is the qualification system provided to allow the Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC more opportunities to qualify. The name "ICC Trophy" has been changed to "ICC World Cup Qualifier".^[37]

Under the current qualifying process, the World Cricket League, all 91 Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC are able to qualify for the World Cup. Associate and Affiliate members must play between two and five stages in the ICC World Cricket League to qualify for the World Cup finals, depending on the Division in which they start the qualifying process.

Process summary in chronological order:

1. Regional tournaments: Top teams from each regional tournaments will be promoted to a division depending on the teams' rankings according to the ICC and each division's empty spots.
2. Division One: 6 Teams – All automatically qualify for the World Cup Qualifier.
3. Division Two: 6 Teams – Top 4 qualify for the World Cup Qualifier.
4. Division Three: 6 Teams – Top 2 promoted to Division Two.
5. Division Four: 6 Teams – Top 2 promoted to Division Three.
6. Division Five: 6 Teams – Top 2 promoted to Division Four.
7. Division Three (second edition): 6 Teams – Top 2 qualify for the World Cup Qualifier.
8. ICC World Cup Qualifier: 12 Teams – Top 6 are awarded ODI status and Top 4 qualify for the World Cup.

Tournament[edit]

See also: History of the Cricket World Cup § Historical formats of final tournament

The captains of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

The format of the Cricket World Cup has changed greatly over the course of its history. Each of the first four tournaments was played by eight teams, divided into two groups of four.^[38] The competition consisted of two stages, a group stage and a knock-out stage. The four teams in each group played each other in the round-robin group stage, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals played against each other in the final. With South Africa returning in the fifth tournament in 1992 as a result of the end of the apartheid boycott, nine teams played each other once in the group phase, and the top four teams progressed to the semi-finals.^[39] The tournament was further expanded in 1996, with two groups of six teams.^[40] The top four teams from each group progressed to quarter-finals and semi-finals.

A new format was used for the 1999 and 2003 World Cups. The teams were split into two pools, with the top three teams in each pool advancing to the Super 6.^[41] The "Super 6" teams played the three other teams that advanced from the other group. As they advanced, the teams carried their points forward from previous matches against other teams advancing alongside them, giving them an incentive to perform well in the group stages.^[41] The top four teams from the "Super 6" stage progressed to the semi-finals, with winners playing in the final.

The format used in the 2007 World Cup features 16 teams allocated into four groups of four.^[42] Within each group, the teams play each other in a round-robin format. Teams earn points for wins and half-points for ties. The top two teams from each group move forward to the Super 8 round. The "Super 8" teams play the other six teams that progressed from the different groups. Teams earned points in the same way as the group stage, but carrying their points forward from previous matches against the other teams who qualified from the same group to the "Super 8" stage.^[43] The top four teams from the "Super 8" round advance to the semi-finals, and the winners of the semi-finals play in the final.

The format used in the 2011 and 2015^[44] World Cups features 2 groups of 7 teams, each playing in a round-robin format. The top four teams from each group proceed to the knock out stage consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and ultimately the final.^[45