On the eve of the men’s big show, Wisden Cricket Monthly editor-in-chief Phil Walker considers what’s at stake for the world game

High point: Dharamsala will host several World Cup matches
PICTURE: Alamy

Yet again, the international game finds itself in a state of agitation, questioning its life choices as all around it, shiny franchise leagues spring up across a roiling landscape that was once their sole property.
As private money floods in, top players have more agency over their careers than ever before. They’re no longer unquestioningly beholden to their countries. Freelance options...