ICC Cricket World Cup Warm-up Matches 2023/24

ICC Cricket World Cup Warm-up Matches are a regulatory component of the ICC Cricket World Cup, organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). They function as a preparatory phase for the main tournament and were formally introduced as a distinct block of matches starting with the 1999 edition. Before this introduction, warm-up games were informal or varied in structure. These fixtures do not count towards the points table or Net Run Rate of the main tournament. They are non-competitive events intended strictly for team preparation. Historically, the matches have not carried official One Day International (ODI) or List A status, meaning statistics from these games are not included in players' official records. The format has evolved significantly over time. From 1999 to 2015, the matches followed a single round-robin structure where all participating teams played every other team once. In editions with twelve or fourteen teams, each side faced numerous opponents to gauge form before the global event. From 2019 onwards, the structure shifted to a limited bilateral or grouped arrangement to manage player workload. In the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, each team played exactly two warm-up matches against pre-determined opponents. This approach prioritized scheduling flexibility over comprehensive competition. The current season features England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Australia. For the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the format was irregular. Only four national teams played in official warm-ups, while major teams opted out entirely due to scheduling conflicts. The warm-ups are distinct from the main tournament because they are preparatory exhibitions with no official sporting status. The main tournament matches, by contrast, are official ODIs with strict ICC regulations and decisive stakes for the title. The warm-ups serve solely as a final assessment of fitness and strategy for the participating nations before the pressure of the World Cup begins.