International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a new format which will come into effect for the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup.
The new format will replace the one used in the 2021 and 2022 World Cups where the first round was followed by the Super 12 stage before the group winners reached the semifinal and so on.
In the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024 however, the 20 participating teams will be divided into four groups of five teams each.
The top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to a Super Eight phase where they will again be divided into two groups of four each with the top two teams in each of the two Super Eights groups qualifying for the semifinal.
In the last two editions, the first stage consisted of two groups of four which included teams that entered the tournament through the qualifying pathway and teams that finished between ninth and 12th in the previous T20 World Cup.
The top two teams from each group in the first round then joined the rest of the eight teams that had already qualified for the Super 12 stage.
It was the same formula that was followed this year, with West Indies being the surprise team to lose out on a place in the main stage.
They will have no such problems for the next World Cup as they have sealed their place as joint hosts with the USA to be among the 12 teams who have already reached the tournament.
England, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the Netherlands Afghanistan and Bangladesh have booked their spots already.
The remaining eight spots will be decided through regional qualifiers.
