[Raynman]

The T20 solution will require 2-3 weeks per year from the calendar with a World Cup every even year and Zonal championships every odd year.

Create 3 zones:

Zone Asia : Ind, Pak, SL, BD, Afg , UAE, Malaysia, CHN, Nepal, Singapore
Zone North : Eng, WI, Ire, Ned, Can , Sco, USA, Ber, Den, France
Zone South : Aus, NZ, SA, Zim, Ken, Nam, PNG, Tanzania, Uganda

Each odd year there will be a Zonal tournament by splitting the 10 teams in 2 groups of 5 in a league setting. That’s 10 matches per group. The top 3 finishers in each group get an automatic qualification to the next zonal tournament. The bottom 2 in each group will need to go through qualifiers for the following tournament. A1/B2 and B1/A2 semifinals. Finals, 3rd/4th match & 5th/6th match between A3/B3.

5 teams from each zone (3x5 = 15) will qualify for the World Cup along with the host. Since 2012 host is SL, Asia in 2011 tournaments will get 5 qualifiers other than SL.

The World Cup will have 16 teams with 4 groups of 4 (6 matches per group) and QF, SF and F (31 games in total). Since T20s can easily be scheduled with 2/3 matches per day, this can end easily within 3 weeks. The groups will be separated to Host and the three zonal champions in their own groups (runner up in that zone if host was also the champion). The remaining teams will be allocated based on their finish in the zones to even out the groups.

The even year will also include the qualifiers for the next Zonal tournaments.

With this you promote cricket and allow potential markets like USA and China into the mix. There is an equal and fair path to qualification but solid enough where barring major multiple upsets the best teams should qualify to the World Cup. T20I takes away very little time from the calendar and doesn’t conflict with IPL or other domestic leagues as each zone will schedule the tournament according to their geographical weather. The zonal competitions will allow upcoming countries like IRE, USA, China to host a major event which they would normally not get the chance to do.