The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including an expanded field of participating nations and a revamped tournament structure, promises to deliver exciting new matchups and unforgettable milestones.
The United States has made history by qualifying to host their first ever global event, with the West Indies.
Twenty teams will compete in the 2024 tournament proper, which will follow a two-stage format similar to the First Round/Super 12 structure of the 2021 and 2022 tournaments but with a new framework.
The eight teams will be divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Eight round. The first and second-place teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
The 20 teams, however, must be selected first.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 qualification process
To kick off 2024, the West Indies and the United States will host. After that, the following ten teams were selected based on their performances at the 2022 event and the ICC T20I standings as of November 14.
Australia’s top eight teams (top four in each Super 12 group) qualified for the 2024 event, while the next two best teams on the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, also qualified.
Regional play will determine the final eight spots for the 2024 tournament.
Teams will be determined by regional qualifiers
It will be the regional action that determines the final spots in the 2024 tournament instead of the Global Qualifier format.
The Americas and East Asia Pacific will each have one qualification spot, while Africa, Asia, and Europe will each have two.
For 2024, South Africa finished in the top eight, but despite a promising start, Zimbabwe finished last in their Super 12 group and was relegated to the regional qualification round. Together with Namibia, who also were eliminated in the first round, they are heavy-betting favorites to win the two qualifying positions for Africa in 2024.
That being said, the recent past suggests that the work at hand will be no picnic for the sides, as the region is home to a considerable pool of talent that poses a serious threat.
While Uganda’s recent T20I series win over Namibia gives them some credibility, the Cricket Cranes nonetheless lost a nail-biter to Kenya in the recent African qualification for 2022.
When it comes to the seniors, it looks like everyone is on the same level since the U19 level has been so successful across the region. The majority of the team will likely be made up of players that participated in the 2020 FIFA U-19 World Cup for Nigeria, but Tanzania has a history of shocking teams, most notably in their qualification match against Namibia for the 2022 FIFA U-19 World Cup.
Americas
Regional qualifying spots: one
Due to the United States’ automatic qualification for the 2022 tournament, Canada is the early favorite to win the Americas’ slot, despite their disappointing performance during the A Qualifier.
The United States was the only team to beat Canada, albeit in a Super Over, and their closest competition would come from Bermuda, who also participated in the 2019 Global Qualifier.
Asia
Regional qualifying spots: two
With several teams in contention and no sureties, the Asia region is arguably the most difficult to predict for 2024.
Singapore, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Qatar, and Malaysia can all upset the bigger teams, as can UAE just edge Nepal and Oman on paper.
Although UAE could have claimed automatic qualification through the 2022 event, the team did not make it to the Super 12 stage, where they had hoped to finish in the top four of their respective group.
East Asia-Pacific
Regional qualifying spots: one
With an automatic spot for the top East Asia-Pacific team, Papua New Guinea has a theoretically easier run in the cycle for 2024.
Ahead of the 2022 tournament, Vanuatu won the Sub-Regional A Qualifier earlier this year, while the Philippines are poised to threaten the Barramundis after appearing at the Global Qualifier A earlier this year.
Europe
Regional qualifying spots: two
For Europe, the 2022 T20 World Cup’s shock win over South Africa has had a positive butterfly effect.
As a result of finishing in the top eight in Australia, Scott Edwards’ side has already qualified for 2024, easing the qualification process for the rest of the teams on the continent.
It should be easier, at least in principle, as new clubs in this thriving cricket region will likely challenge the current powerhouses. Scotland and Ireland face the most significant competition from Jersey and a strengthening Germany, however, arguments may be made for the three Sub-Regional group winners, Italy, Austria, and Denmark.
In late July, the Austrians shocked their Sub-Regional group by topping Guernsey and Norway, along with Italy and Denmark, who each had exceptional players on their roster.
