History has been made as Uganda qualifies for its inaugural ICC T20 World Cup, securing the last available spot from Africa and finalizing the 20-team lineup set for the tournament across the Caribbean and the United States next year.
Securing this historic berth came as Uganda defeated Rwanda in the Africa qualifiers, effectively displacing former regional powerhouse Zimbabwe. Uganda’s triumph over Zimbabwe by five wickets marked their maiden T20 international victory against a full-member team, setting the stage for their remarkable advancement.
Rwanda’s batting first, managed to put up only 65 runs, but Uganda swiftly chased down the target in 8.1 overs at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek, Namibia.
Namibia, having participated in the 2021 and 2022 editions, secured the second spot for qualification from the region.
A total of eight teams secured their places through regional qualifying matches. Ireland and Scotland clinched the European slots, while Nepal and Oman emerged victorious from Asia. Canada secured its position from North America, and Papua New Guinea claimed the East Asia-Pacific slot.
The United States will make their debut in a major ICC event as joint hosts alongside the West Indies.
The lineup also includes Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, securing their spots based on their top-eight finish in the previous T20 World Cup.
Furthermore, Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified based on their positions in the ICC T20 rankings at the conclusion of last year’s T20 World Cup.
The 2024 tournament will be structured in two phases, comprising a knockout round followed by a main round. The top two teams from each group of five will advance to the Super Eights phase. Here, the remaining teams will be divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group proceeding to the semifinals.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2024 teams include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, the United States, and the West Indies.
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