Only one team from each of Group A and Group B qualified for the 2016 tournament’s Super 10 stage, however, the ICC now looks set to employ a Super 12 format by allowing two more teams to qualify from the group stages.

Tim Cutler, chief executive of the Hong Kong Cricket Association, disclosed the development to ESPNcricinfo and backed the move from international cricket’s global governing body. 

"What I have heard described is that two teams will go through from each first group to create a Super 12," he said.

"Thatseems to be the agreed format at the moment. 

"Hopefully that means with two more going through, potentially two more could come into the qualifiers to make 18 but the sound of it at the moment is it's going to be 16 into 12. 

"It's a move in the right direction."

Discussions at the ongoing ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh also indicated that the world governing body is considering giving the three associate representatives on its Board full voting privileges and subsequently a voice when it comes to decision-making.

ICC chairman Shashank Manohar announced the motion, which could be ratified later this week. 

"Everything we're hearing from the ICC chairman really does point towards a new era in ICC governance and the structures behind that," Cutler added.

"We talk about one man, one vote, are we going to have a 105 Member Federation with votes? 

"Highly unlikely in the short term but if we do get to a point where the three associate directors have a vote each, that really does shift the paradigm that was the ICC Board and really moving things in the right direction where emerging nations really do have a true voice at the top table."

In other news from the Annual Conference, Cricket Ireland's Ross McCollum has won a vote to replace Bermuda's Neil Speight on the ICC Board. 

Singapore's Imran Khawaja and Namibia's Francois Erasmus have kept their places. 

The ICC is expected to rubber-stamp an additional World Twenty20 tournament in 2018, with the competition then held on a biennial basis rather than its current quadrennial status.

The next event was not due to be staged until 2020 but there could now be one in two years and also in 2022.

The move comes due to the volumes of revenue generated by this year’s edition in India, where the West Indies beat England in a thrilling final.