Scotland and Netherlands accuse ICC of undermining Associate cricket

Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association have criticised the International Cricket Council's recent changes to the qualification pathway and format for the Men's 50-over World Cup. The two European Associate Member boards said they were disappointed that the ICC had made significant structural changes less than 18 months before the tournament begins.

The ICC announced the changes in June as part of a revamp of structures for its two men's World Cup tournaments. The tournament will still have 14 teams, but the three lowest-ranked teams will now first play in a Super Series round, with only the top team advancing to the main 12-team group stage.

The boards said changing qualification rules during a cycle creates uncertainty for players and teams. Members invest years preparing for World Cups, and confidence in those pathways depends on them not changing part-way through a qualification cycle without consultation. They also highlighted that the opportunity to compete at a World Cup provides Associate Members with a unique competitive opportunity to drive investment and inspire players.