Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar (Getty Images)

With the 10th edition of the men’s T20 World Cup just eight days away, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has reignited the debate around the tournament’s standing in the game’s global hierarchy. Manjrekar believes the shortest format’s showpiece does not carry the same weight or legacy as the 50-over World Cup and should not be viewed through the same lens. Manjrekar, who featured in India’s World Cup campaigns in 1992 and 1996 and played 11 matches across those tournaments, has long maintained that there is only one true Cricket World Cup. In his view, that status belongs exclusively to the 50-over event, which is held once every four years and demands a longer cycle of preparation and endurance.

He pointed to the frequency of the T20 tournament as a key reason for his stance, with the competition taking place every two years. For Manjrekar, that regularity dilutes its stature and separates it from the traditional World Cup narrative built around the ODI format.

Sanjay Manjrekar post

“For me, the ‘Cricket World Cup’ will always be the 50 overs World Cup. The T20 version, held every two years, must not be given the same status as a World Cup that comes once every 4 years. I prefer the original name for it – The WorldT20,” Manjrekar posted on X. His comments arrive at a time when the one-day format itself is facing uncertainty. Once the backbone of international cricket, ODIs are increasingly viewed as the least compelling of the three formats, with Test cricket and T20Is dominating schedules and attention. There is a growing belief that the 2027 World Cup in South Africa could potentially be the final ODI World Cup, despite the 2031 edition being officially earmarked for India and Bangladesh. The T20 event was originally branded as the ‘World T20’ for its first six editions, held between 2007 and 2016. The tournament was later renamed the T20 World Cup from the 2021 edition, which took place in the UAE following a five-year gap. Manjrekar’s outlook mirrors sentiments previously expressed by Rohit Sharma. The former India captain, despite lifting the T20 World Cup, has consistently placed the 50-over World Cup on a higher pedestal. That reverence perhaps explains why India’s defeat to Australia in the 2023 final continues to resonate so deeply.