20 teams finalized for ICC T20 World Cup 2024

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With more teams and a new format, the 2024 edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup is certain to throw up new match-ups and historic moments.

Following the recent results in the Africa Qualifier, the 20 teams for the tournament are finalised. Namibia and Uganda were the last two teams to book tickets, joining six other teams to come through regional qualifying.

Qualifying as hosts alongside the West Indies, the tournament will be a ground-breaking event for the USA, and the first global tournament appearance outside of a Champions Trophy in 2005.

The 20-team tournament proper in 2024 will work in two phases before the knockouts, though in a different framework from the First Round/Super 12 format at the 2021 and 2022 edition.

The top two teams in each of the four groups of five will move to a Super Eights phase, where the remaining sides split into two groups of four. The top two in each group will then make their way to the semi-finals.

 

Presenting the 2⃣0⃣ teams that will battle for ICC Men's #T20WorldCup 2024 🏆

✍: https://t.co/9E00AzjcRN pic.twitter.com/1nu50LOLWQ

— ICC (@ICC) November 30, 2023

 

How each team qualified for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024

As hosts, the West Indies and the USA took up the first two of spots for 2024. From there, performances at the 2022 edition, and before the November 14 ICC T20I rankings cut-off, determined the next 10 spots.

The top eight teams in Australia (top four in each Super 12 group) gained spots for the 2024 tournament, with Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the next best teams on the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings as of 14 November 2022, also securing their spot.

Regional Qualifiers decide remaining teams

Moving away from the Global Qualifier framework, the 2024 tournament saw an added emphasis through regional action to determine final spots.

Africa, Asia and Europe had two qualification spots, with one spot for both the Americas and East-Asia Pacific regions.

How teams qualified

Africa

Qualifying teams: Namibia and Uganda

Unable to capitalise on their strong start at T20 World Cup 2022, Zimbabwe were sent back to regional qualification, a sliding doors moment that proved to be disastrous. 

Namibia, who failed to advance past the First Round of the 2022 global tournament, hit back at the Africa Qualifier, winning the first five matches to lock in their spot with a game in hand.

The Eagles under Gerhard Erasmus beat Zimbabwe on the opening day, with Zimbabwe slipping up a second time in a shock defeat to Uganda.

Uganda were well and truly the surprise package of the Africa Region Qualifier. They stunned Zimbabwe and managed to overcome regional rivals Kenya, to garner 10 points from their six games in the event. 

This ensured a top-two finish, and with that a ticket to the global event next year. 

Americas

Qualifying team: Canada

With the USA out of the picture as automatic qualifiers, Canada were hot favourites for the Americas spot, though didn't have it all their way in the Qualifier, challenged by Bermuda.

Having rectified their net run rate after their shock 86-run defeat to the Qualifier hosts Bermuda to begin the tournament, Saad Bin Zafar's side only had to beat the Bermudians in the second meeting of the tournament, on the final day.

Canada made 132/4 from 18 overs in a rain-shortened match, before bundling Bermuda out in a 39-run win.

It will be Canada's first appearance at the Men's T20 World Cup, though the nation has global tournament experience via the 50-over Cricket World Cup, first appearing in 1979 before qualifying for the 2003, 2007 and 2011 events.

Asia

Qualifying teams: Nepal, Oman

Arguably the fiercest of the regional qualifiers in terms of collective talent, Nepal and Oman prevailed through the Asia Qualifier, held in late October and early November.

Oman put the hard work in early through the regional final, beating Nepal to top the group, meaning a semi-final with Bahrain, who they accounted for in a 10-wicket win.

Nepal by contrast went down a more difficult path, needing to beat UAE in their qualification decider. The Emiratis made 134/9 on a sluggish Mulpani pitch, though Aasif Sheikh's 64* from 51 balls ensured qualification for the Nepalis.

The defeat to UAE was a tough pill to swallow considering the side had the opportunity to claim automatic qualification through the 2022 T20 World Cup, though failed to progress to the Super 12 stage in the hopes of finishing in the top four of one of the groups.

It's a second T20 World Cup appearance for Nepal having played in the first round back in 2014, and a third appearance for Oman after playing in both the 2016 and 2021, the latter they co-hosted.

East Asia-Pacific

Qualifying team: Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea were imperious on home soil at Amini Park in Port Moresby, winning all six matches to punch their tickets for the USA and West Indies.

PNG stamped their authority with a commanding nine-wicket win over Vanuatu on day one, chasing down 72 in just 6.3 overs, before a 117-run victory over the Philippines in another net run rate-surging triumph.

A win over second-placed Japan gave them a buffer heading into the second half of the week, and Assad Vala's side secured their spot with a game in hand with another big victory over the Philippines.

Vala's men closed out the tournament with a sixth consecutive triumph with victory over Japan on the final day, and celebrated their success in front of a jubilant Port Moresby crowd.

Europe

Qualifying teams: Ireland, Scotland

The Netherlands’ shock win over South Africa during the 2022 T20 World Cup helped the European region immensely, given the Dutch were automatic qualifiers for 2024 and thus not competing with Scotland and Ireland for two spots.

Sans the Dutch, Scotland and Ireland cruised through the regional final, with the pair unbeaten until they met on the final day of qualifying action.

The match between the already-qualified teams was a shootout, with Scotland's 213/6 edging Ireland's 205/9 in reply. Brandon McMullen top-scored for the Scots with 68 (35), though was beaten to Player of the Match accolades by Brad Currie, who claimed 5/13 (4) in the high-scoring affair.