Former Test cricket star Taibu wants World Cup expansion, ICC to give more elite chances to sides like Hong Kong
- Tatenda Taibu is head coach of Papua New Guinea, who won a tri-series in Hong Kong last week
- PNG are in this year’s T20 World Cup, and will face Test nations West Indies, New Zealand, and Afghanistan, in addition to Uganda
Former Zimbabwe captain and current Papua New Guinea head coach Tatenda Taibu wants sides like Hong Kong to have more playing opportunities against Test match countries.
Taibu also wants an expansion of the 50-over World Cup, from its current 10 teams, and supports the growth of this year’s T20 World Cup, which will feature PNG, from 16 to 20 nations.
PNG won a tri-series tournament in Hong Kong last week, recovering from a whacking by Nepal, to comfortably defeat the hosts, then emphatically avenge their early loss by hammering the Nepalese in the final.
Taibu’s team subsequently tied a two-match series in Malaysia, as preparations accelerate for June’s T20 World Cup, where PNG’S group opponents include joint-hosts and two-times winners West Indies, and perennial trophy challengers New Zealand.
Hong Kong reached the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups, but failed to qualify for 2024.
Taibu, who captained Zimbabwe, aged 20, and played 28 Test matches, 150 ODIs, and 17 T20 internationals, told the Post: “I support the increase for the World T20, and I think it is important the [50-over] World Cup is expanded. If you are talking about a World Cup, it must be for many countries.
