Australia’s white-ball setup wants the ICC to increase squad sizes for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The push comes after the governing body confirmed a new tournament format that adds more matches to the road toward the title.
The ICC announced earlier this month that the 2027 ODI World Cup will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
ICC’s New Format Adds Extra Matches Before Knockouts
The World Cup event expands to 14 teams and introduces a Super Series round ahead of the group stage, along with a new Super 7 phase before the semi-finals. This marks a shift from the 10-team format used in India in 2023, when Australia lifted the trophy after playing 11 matches.
Under the new structure, the eventual winner will play at least 13 matches, covering five group games, six Super 7 fixtures, a semi-final and a final. Teams that enter through the bottom-ranked Super Series and progress all the way to the final could end up playing as many as 15 matches.
McDonald Points to Injury Concerns From Past Tournaments
Head coach Andrew McDonald raised the issue on SEN radio, arguing that squads need to grow alongside the extra fixtures. He recalled the difficulties Australia faced in 2023, when a 15-player squad left the side with only 12 or 13 fit options during the group stage after Travis Head suffered a broken finger. New Zealand faced a similar situation with Kane Williamson and other injured players.
McDonald said carrying reduced numbers early in a tournament limits a team’s ability to adjust their game plan across different conditions. Australia stuck with Head in their squad rather than replacing him, going in with 14 fit players for five matches and skipping a second specialist spinner. Head returned to score a century on his comeback, followed by 62 and two wickets in the semi-final, then 137 in the final against India.
McDonald also flagged Australia’s packed Test schedule leading into 2027, with the team set to play up to 21 Tests in the 14 months before the tournament, including five-Test series in India and England. Several senior bowlers have dealt with injuries over the past two years and missed both the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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Comparison With FIFA World Cup Squad Numbers
McDonald referenced football’s World Cup as an example, noting that FIFA allows 26-player squads for a game with only 11 on the field, while Spain won the tournament using just eight matches. He suggested cricket should follow a similar logic given the heavier ODI World Cup schedule.
“Give us larger squads to be able to navigate through the early part,” McDonald said, adding that the current cricket calendar ahead of the tournament makes player fitness a genuine concern. Reports suggest the ICC intends to retain the standard 15-player squad limit, while keeping a minimum two-day gap between matches for every team.
McDonald further addressed the position of Associate nations in the new format, noting that only 14 teams will feature overall, with three sides required to compete in a round-robin Super Series for a single spot in the group phase. He said Associate teams appear to have lost ground despite growth in the format at T20 level in recent years.
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