ICC reveals detailed roadmap to the 2020 World T20

While the next T20 World Cup is just a couple of years away, the ICC, on Monday, revealed the detailed outline of the global qualifying structure for the upcoming mega-event, to be held in Australia. The tournament has already begun in its preliminary stages as the first Sub-Regional Qualifier is currently underway in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Americas WT20 Sub-Regional Qualifier, which is currently being contested by Argentina, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, is the first of 12 such qualifiers scheduled to be held in the run-up to the tournament. This phase will see some 61 countries competing to reach one of five regional finals, making it one of the most inclusive qualification pathways yet seen for an ICC event.

There will also be a second America’s sub-regional competition, slated to be held in Los Angeles later in the year. Kuwait will be the venue for the first of two six-team Asian sub-regionals in April, while the Philippines and Fiji have been chosen to host the two four-team East Asia Pacific region sub-qualifiers.

The venues for the European and African sub-regionals have not yet been confirmed, but it is known that both regions will host 3 such tournaments later this year, with 33 countries taking part.

Tournament structure

A total of 25 teams will progress to the regional finals from these sub-regional finals, one for each of the ICC’s five regions. Next, a total of seven teams will progress to the Global Qualifier, where they will be joined by the six teams that qualified for the 2016 edition of the WT20 but fell outside the top ten of the T20I rankings at the end of 2017. There will also be an additional berth reserved for the as-yet-unannounced hosts.

Of the 14 team World Cup, six qualifying spots are to be won, with the top teams advancing to the “First Round” of the WT20 itself. With a total of 65 Associates and 2 Full Members taking part, the announcement heralds one of the most inclusive qualification structures yet seen for a major ICC event.

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