Eight teams to battle it out for two spots

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier A at Oman Cricket Academy grounds in Al Amerat here from February 18 to 24.

Eight teams will lock horns for the available two slots for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

Hosts Oman, who featured in the T20 World Cup 2021 in Muscat last October, will want to repeat the same in Australia.

In the quadrangular series, which concluded at the OCA grounds on Monday, Oman managed a single win against series toppers UAE. Other teams Ireland and Nepal also feature in the qualifiers and these teams look like major contenders for the World Cup qualifiers.

A strong Ireland team posted two wins like the UAE in the series but missed top rank only on net run-rate.

Nepal started with a resounding win against Oman but couldn’t carry on the momentum as they ended fourth with two straight losses.

UAE looked in good form and are expected to be on their best in the World Cup qualifiers.

Canada, Bahrain, debutants Germany and Philippines will also be on their toes to spring a surprise in the eight-team tournament.

OMAN POOLED WITH NEPAL

Oman are pooled with Nepal in Group A with Canada and the Philippines.

Group B features Ireland, UAE, Germany and Bahrain.

In Group A, Oman and Nepal will be put to test by Canada. Newcomers Philippines will be eager to make an impact at this level.

The hosts will desperately want to address their loop holes during the quadrangular series, while Nepal will target their second appearance in ICC T20 World Cup after qualifying in 2014.

Oman will meet Nepal in the opener on February 18.

In Group B, Ireland and UAE remain the top guns. Bahrain also are an experienced side to reckon with and Germany would want a memorable debut at their first major global event.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.

The winners of the semifinals will seal their spots in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The matches will be streamed live on FanCode in the Indian sub-continent and on ICC.tv across the world.

Nepal and the UAE sealed their places in the Qualifiers based on their latest T20I rankings.

The other four teams — Germany, Canada, Bahrain and the Philippines — advanced through their regional qualifying tournaments held through the course of last year.

The opening day’s fixtures also feature Ireland vs UAE in a high-octane game on the main Oman Academy 1 ground while Germany take on Bahrain in the second match of the afternoon session.

Road to T20 World Cup 2022

A total of 16 teams will be vying for the four spots during the two Qualifiers – A and B – with Qualifier B to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from July 11-17. The teams in fray for the two remaining seats in Harare are hosts Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Jersey, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Uganda and the United States of America (USA).

Seventy teams started the qualification process, and the two global qualifiers will decide the final four teams that will be part of the World Cup.

This will be second major ICC tournament for Oman after a successful hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 first round matches last year.

It will be an exciting battle for the two qualification spots as the quadrangular series gave the sides a peep into the rivals armouries. The rest of the teams played out few practice games as well.