DIVYA DELHI : The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing backlash over the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 format after its pre-seeding system grouped all four first-round winners together, creating a major imbalance. Group 1 now features India, Zimbabwe, West Indies, and South Africa, while Group 2 consists entirely of runners-up: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, and New Zealand. Critics say this structure undermines the reward for finishing top of a group, increases the risk of early elimination for strong teams, and diminishes the excitement of the final group-stage matches. The format also draws criticism for disadvantaging co-host Sri Lanka, as a semi-final slot would force them to travel to India despite playing at home in earlier rounds. The ICC defended the pre-seeding system, citing logistical challenges of co-hosting across India and Sri Lanka and the need to plan venues and schedules in advance.
