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Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has sparked a fresh debate around the future of ICC tournaments by delivering a blunt assessment of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Ashwin believes that the sheer frequency of ICC events, combined with one-sided fixtures involving vastly unequal teams, could significantly reduce fan interest in the marquee tournament.
Ravichandran Ashwin on why fans won’t watch T20 World Cup 2026
Ashwin did not mince his words while discussing the structure and appeal of modern ICC competitions. The former off-spinner argued that early-round matches featuring top-ranked nations against relatively inexperienced sides fail to capture the imagination of viewers.
According to Ashwin, contests such as India facing associate teams in the opening stages do little to build excitement. He remarked that such fixtures risk driving fans away rather than drawing them in, as the competitive balance is often missing. In his view, these mismatches undermine the very essence of a World Cup, which is meant to showcase high-intensity cricket at the highest level.
“No one is going to watch the ICC T20 World Cup this time. India vs USA, India vs. Namibia—these are games that will literally pull you away from the World Cup,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Loss of anticipation around global events
Ashwin also highlighted how the traditional charm of ICC tournaments has eroded over time. He recalled an era when World Cups were staged once every four years, allowing anticipation and narrative to build naturally. Back then, early-round clashes between heavyweight teams like India, England, Sri Lanka, or Australia were major attractions in themselves.
Now, however, Ashwin feels that the overexposure of global tournaments has dulled that excitement. With fans seeing World Cups and ICC events almost every year, the sense of occasion has diminished. The former India star suggested that scarcity once made these tournaments special, a factor that is largely missing in the current calendar.
“World Cups used to happen once every four years. Because of that, the interest is used to build. India used to play England or Sri Lanka in the first round, and that was a lot more fun,” added Ashwin.
Also READ: Ravichandran Ashwin picks 2 standout players for India in 2025
Overcrowded ICC Schedule Under Scrutiny
Since 2010, ICC tournaments have been staged with remarkable regularity, with hardly a year passing without a major global event. The T20 World Cup scheduled for 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually held in 2021, followed by another edition in 2022. The ODI World Cup took place in 2023, the T20 World Cup followed in 2024, the Champions Trophy took place in 2025, and now another T20 World Cup arrives in 2026.
Also READ: 3 T20I superstars who bowed out before the T20 World Cup 2026
