The ICC chief executive has admitted that a television rights deal for the 2019 Cricket World Cup was responsible for the decision to reduce the tournament from 14 to 10 teams.

Associate nations like Ireland, Scotland and Afghanistan, who all took part in this year's World Cup, are likely to miss out on the tournament in England, with just two spaces available to those ranked outside the top eight in the ICC world rankings.

"We have gone to market based on a 10-team World Cup. That's one of the factors, yes. The increase in the revenue is significant and everyone gets the benefit of that. It looks very difficult to change that for 2019," The Independent quotes David Richardson as saying.

"There will be an opportunity to discuss it at the next round of meetings but I don't want to get anyone's hopes unduly raised. The bottom line is we have sold the rights based on 10 teams."

Six associate nations will take part in next year's T20 World Cup.