Australia coach Andrew McDonald is seeking larger squads of 17 players for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup.
His request follows the expanded tournament format, under which finalists could play up to 15 matches, up from 11 in 2023.
McDonald said sticking with the current 15-player limit risked an attritional tournament given the increased number of matches.
He referred to the 2023 World Cup, when an injury to Travis Head had reduced Australia’s squad flexibility.
The team also faces a demanding schedule ahead of the tournament, including up to 21 Test matches over 14 months, featuring five-Test series against India and England.
With senior bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc all over 30 and carrying injury histories, squad depth remains a key concern.
The 2027 World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, will expand to 14 teams, adding a Super Series round and a Super 7 stage before the semi-finals.
Coaching staffs across several major cricket boards have separately flagged similar concerns about workload as tournaments grow longer and squads are asked to cover a wider range of match situations.
The 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and will feature 14 teams, expanded from the 10-team format used at the 2023 edition held in India.
The new tournament structure includes a Super Series round before the group stages, followed by a Super 7 round ahead of the semi-finals, extending the overall length and physical demands of the event compared to previous editions.
McDonald’s push for larger squads comes as several cricket boards have separately raised concerns about player workload amid an increasingly packed international calendar spanning bilateral series, multi-team tournaments and franchise leagues.
Australia’s pace attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc has been central to the team’s success across formats in recent years, making their fitness and workload management a recurring talking point for the team management.
(Image: “Andrew McDonald during an Australia practice session at the MCG” by DustyNail, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
