I don`t necessarily aggree with that. If you restrict the minnow nations to the T20 stuff, you are essentially leaving them with nothing bigger to aspire for. The current format is flawed, not with regards to the number of teams that are in it but the way the tournament is structured. Q/Fs in cricket are absolutely nonsensical, at least currently with all of us being able to predict the Q/F lineup years in advance, unlike in football. Secondly, with the second round directly being the knockouts, there is hardly a difference between finishing first or fourth in the group, making the next round equally a lottery inspite of having a good 4 weeks in the tournament.
The 1999/2003 formats had hit the right note. It gave minnows the chance to cause upsets and also had a long enough first round to allow the best sides to go through. The fact that only three from a group qualified and the idea of carrying points forward ensured that every game meant something. You would want a format like this as it ensures everything that a governing body would want, i) Give minnows the exposure and chance to upset big teams which would also add to the fun in the group standings ii) HAve the possibility of a major team exiting in the early round thus making every game important iii) Carrying forward points would mean the first stage really sets the tone for the rest of the tournament and you get rewarded for consistency till you hit the knockouts which are the semis.
