T20 World Cup 2028 to Use IPL-Style Eliminators in Knockout Stage

The ICC has announced a major change to the format of the 2028 Men’s T20 World Cup. They are introducing an IPL-style eliminator. The new system is intended to create more high-pressure matches. However, it gives teams a second chance to reach the semi-finals. Similar to the playoff format used in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 2028 edition of the tournament will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand and will continue to feature 20 teams. The route to the trophy will look very different from previous T20 World Cups.

How Will the New T20 World Cup 2028 Format Work?

Now the tournament will have three different stages prior to the semi-finals:

Group Stage

There will be 20 teams divided into five different groups, four teams each.
Each team plays three matches.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the next round.

This implies that 10 teams will qualify for the second round compared to eight teams that qualified in previous versions.

Super 10 Stage

The 10 qualified teams will then be divided into:

Group A – 5 teams
Group B – 5 teams

Each team will play four matches in a round-robin format within its group. The first-placed team in each group will directly qualify for the semi-finals.

What Are the New IPL-Style Eliminators?

The biggest change comes here. Instead of the top two teams from each Super 10 group advancing directly to the semi-finals, the ICC has introduced two crossover Eliminator matches.

Match	Teams
Eliminator 1	Group A 2nd vs Group B 3rd
Eliminator 2	Group B 2nd vs Group A 3rd

Winners of both these matches will then join the two group winners in the semi-finals. This format is very similar to the one used in the IPL where the teams which finish higher in the table get an extra chance to go further in the tournament.

Why Has ICC Introduced Eliminators?

According to the ICC, the revised format is designed to:

Create more meaningful knockout matches.
Reward teams that finish higher in the Super 10 stage.
Give associate nations more opportunities to qualify for the second round of the tournament.
Improve competitiveness and fan engagement throughout the tournament.

The change also increases the number of high-stakes games in the tournament, which has performed exceptionally well in franchise leagues like the IPL.

Also Read: ICC Reveals New ODI and T20 World Cup Formats Full Format Changes

Full Knockout Pathway

Stage	Teams Advancing
Group Stage	Top 2 from each of 5 groups
Super 10	10 teams divided into 2 groups
Direct Semi-final Qualification	Top team from each Super 10 group
Eliminators	2nd and 3rd placed teams battle for remaining spots
Semi-finals	4 teams
Final	Winners of semi-finals

Which Teams Have Already Qualified?

Twelve teams have already qualified directly for the 2028 T20 World Cup. That was based on their performance in the 2026 edition and ICC rankings:

Australia
New Zealand
India
England
Pakistan
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
West Indies
Ireland
Zimbabwe

The remaining eight places will be decided through regional qualifiers and a global qualifier event.

Will The New Format Be Superior?

The IPL-style elimination format is perhaps the biggest in T20 World Cup cricket history. While some fans believe the format has become more complicated, others will welcome the additional knockout matches and increase the chances of teams coming out of a bad run.

The 2028 T20 World Cup promises to deliver more drama with the arrival of cricket’s biggest T20 tournament in Australia and New Zealand, with more must-win matches and more rewards for consistency.

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