A row has broken out over the International Cricket Council’s decision to alter the format of the men’s 2027 ODI World Cup. This is scheduled to run between Oct. 4 and Nov. 21. It will be the first to be held in Africa since 2003, hosted jointly by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, with the former allocated 75 percent of matches. As ICC full members, South Africa and Zimbabwe automatically qualify, but Namibia, an associate member, needs to qualify. Fourteen teams will compete, a change from the previous two events, which comprised 10 teams.

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith celebrates the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup's return to Africa after over two decades, marking a pivotal moment for the sport.

Despite co-hosting the 2027 Cricket World Cup, Namibia faces a dramatic race against time to secure a qualifying spot under strict ICC hosting rules.