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16 teams for World Cup 2007, final format to be agreed
MUMBAI: The ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 will feature 16 teams but the final format for the event is still to be agreed after the ICC Board discussed the issue in Barbados on Thursday.
While the board agreed to expand the tournament to 16 teams (from the 14-team format at this year’s event) divided into four groups of four, there was no consensus on the most effective format for the tournament beyond the group stage and the meeting considered the request from its commercial partner, Global Cricket Corporation to play more games than the originally proposed 42 matches.
An increase in the number of games would probably benefit Sony Entertainment Television India, which has the cable and satellite broadcast rights for the subcontinent.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said, “The Board decided that expanding the tournament to 16 teams was an appropriate step but wanted to further investigate the best structure for the tournament beyond the group stage before making a final decision on format.”
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said, “The Board decided that expanding the tournament to 16 teams was an appropriate step but wanted to further investigate the best structure for the tournament beyond the group stage before making a final decision on format.”
“Given the complex logistical associated with holding this event in the West Indies, there needs to be a further analysis of the impact of these formats,” Speed said.
ICC refuses to relent on money withheld to BCCI
No money currently withheld by the ICC to deal with the claim for compensation by Global Cricket Corporation will be returned to countries until a series of strict conditions are met the ICC has announced.
These conditions will include:
The ICC’s independent auditors and lawyers agreeing that the release of any money is a prudent and appropriate action;
The independent advisors agreeing to the appropriate amount of money, if any, that should be released;
That any member country wishing to access any money that is freed following this professional advice must give an unconditional and irrevocable legal undertaking to pay back the money if required. This may take the form of a bank guarantee.
ICC President, Ehsan Mani, said that these conditions were put in place with the unanimous support of the board in order to provide those countries that wished to access their money for their own reasons with a mechanism that would allow this to occur while also protecting the overall interests of international cricket.
“Before the ICC can contemplate allowing any country to access the money currently being withheld, it is important that we have the necessary external professional advice to establish if this action is appropriate. This will be obtained in the coming weeks,” said Mani.
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Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
