Cricket's global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), is facing sharp criticism from the World Cricketers' Association (WCA) over a revised World Cup format, which players claim was introduced without proper consultation. The WCA expressed its "concern" on Friday, highlighting that players are set to bear the brunt of changes to the men's 50-over tournament.The showpiece event, scheduled to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, will retain its 14-team structure. However, the ICC announced on Thursday a new "Super Series" round for the three lowest-ranked qualified sides, with only one ultimately advancing to the main group stage. The ICC stated this change would ensure a "meaningful contest."WCA Chief Executive Tom Moffat acknowledged the ICC's right to determine the structure of its global events. However, he stressed that "when commitments are made to the game, qualification pathways are established and countries and players invest years pursuing those opportunities, significant changes deserve genuine consultation, transparency and a clear explanation."Ireland captain Paul Stirling has hit out at the ICC's decision (Getty)Mr Moffat questioned the decision's alignment with the sport's broader goals, stating: "It is difficult to reconcile the game's stated ambition of growing cricket globally with decisions that reduce meaningful opportunities at pinnacle events for some of the countries that stood to benefit most from genuine expansion." The international players' body further noted that the format alteration raised "important questions about transparency”.Netherlands captain Scott Edwards was among several players to voice disappointment. "Qualifying for an ODI World Cup is a huge achievement for any country, so when the reality of that opportunity changes after years of planning, it's incredibly disappointing," Edwards said. He added: "The ICC talks a lot about growing the game globally, but decisions like this make it harder for associate nations to play against the best teams in the world."Ireland captain Paul Stirling underscored the value smaller nations bring to such tournaments. "The smaller and associate countries have consistently proven to add value and interest at global events," he commented. "The football World Cup we've just witnessed is testament to that in other sports and it would be great to see cricket take a similar approach to maximise opportunities for the game."