Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar (Getty Images) With the 10th edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup just eight days away, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has reignited the debate over the tournament’s place in the global gaming hierarchy. Manjrekar believes that showcasing the shortest format does not carry the same weight or legacy as the 50-over World Cup and should not be viewed in the same light. Manjrekar, who featured in India’s 1992 and 1996 World Cup campaigns and played 11 matches in those tournaments, has long maintained that there is only one true Cricket World Cup. In his opinion, this status belongs exclusively to the 50-over event, which takes place once every four years and requires a longer cycle of preparation and endurance.
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He cited the frequency of the T20 tournament, which is held every two years, as a key reason for his stance. For Manjrekar, this regularity weakens his position and separates him from the traditional World Cup narrative built around the ODI format.
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“For me ‘Cricket World Cup’ will always be the 50 overs World Cup. The T20 version which is held every two years must not have the same status as the World Cup which is held once in 4 years. I prefer the original name – The WorldT20,” Manjrekar wrote on X. His comments come at a time when the one-day format itself is facing uncertainty. Once the backbone of international cricket, ODIs are increasingly seen as the least compelling of the three formats, with Test cricket and T20Is dominating the schedule and attention. There is growing belief that the 2027 World Cup in South Africa could potentially be the last ODI World Cup, despite the 2031 edition being officially earmarked for India and Bangladesh. The T20 tournament 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 was held in the United Arab Emirates after a five-year gap. Manjrekar’s outlook echoes sentiments expressed earlier by Rohit Sharma. The former India captain, despite lifting the T20 World Cup, has consistently put the 50-over World Cup on a higher pedestal. This reverence perhaps explains why India’s defeat of Australia in the 2023 final continues to resonate so deeply.
