KARACHI:Australia, co-hosts of the 2015 World Cup, want the event to be contested by the 10 teams that are full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and will present that position when the ICC reconsiders the tournament format at its annual conference in Hong Kong in June.The initial decision to allow cricket’s 10 full member nations to take their places at the next World Cup without any kind of qualification process was met with global indignation. However, ICC President Sharad Pawar announced a reconsideration of the format of the event.“Our starting point on the ICC events has always been that qualification should be based on merit,” a Cricket Australia spokesman told ESPNCricinfo. “We support moving to a 10-team World Cup in 2015 and in the long term, support moving to the World Cups which are 10-team contests based on merit.”Options include an expansion of the number of competing teams from 10 to 12, or simply the addition of a qualifying tournament.Ireland want decision in June Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom believes that the right of Associate nations to compete at the 2015 World Cup will be established at the ICC’s annual conference in June.“The lack of response in those two weeks probably meant the ICC realised they were defending the indefensible,” said Deutrom. “I think the issue would have to be resolved in June. If the principle was established that a qualification tournament was to be reinstated I don’t think the Associates could have too much of an argument with that.”
