Uganda has scripted history by securing a spot in the T20 World Cup 2024 set to unfold in the West Indies and the USA. Emerging victorious in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier with five wins in six games, Uganda's triumph marks their inaugural appearance in an ICC World Cup event.
Namibia, the second team from Africa to qualify, also sealed their berth, while Zimbabwe faced a second consecutive heartbreak, missing out on World Cup participation.
Despite overcoming Tanzania in their opening game of the qualifiers, Uganda suffered a setback against Namibia before staging a remarkable comeback against Test-playing nation Zimbabwe, clinching victory with a fine bowling display and notable contributions from Riazat Ali Shah and Alpesh Ramjani.
Subsequent wins against Nigeria and Kenya solidified Uganda's T20 World Cup qualification, culminating in a comprehensive nine-wicket triumph over Rwanda. Their bowlers excelled, restricting Rwanda to a mere 65 runs, swiftly chased down by the ninth over.
In contrast, Zimbabwe, who were victorious against Pakistan in the last edition, faced disappointment with losses to Namibia and Uganda, failing to secure a spot in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This follows their exclusion from the ODI World Cup qualifiers as well. The journey reflects Uganda's resilience and determination, overcoming challenges to make a historic entry onto the global T20 stage.
As the cricketing world anticipates the mega event, Uganda's achievement stands as a testament to their prowess in the shortest format. The T20 World Cup 2024 promises to be a thrilling spectacle with diverse teams vying for supremacy in the West Indies and the USA.
Complete teams and qualifications list
The 2022 edition of the competition saw the automatic qualification of the top eight teams and the two host nations for the upcoming tournament. Afghanistan and Bangladesh secured the remaining automatic qualification spots based on their rankings in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings as of 14 November 2022.
To complete the lineup, the ICC's regional qualifiers determined the eight remaining places. This involved two teams each from Africa, Asia, and Europe, with one team each from the Americas and the East Asia-Pacific groups. In May 2022, the ICC outlined the sub-regional qualification pathways for Europe, East Asia-Pacific, and Africa.
In July 2023, Ireland and Scotland emerged as the first two qualifiers from the Europe Qualifier, followed by Papua New Guinea from the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier. Canada secured their spot in October 2023 by defeating Bermuda in the Americas Qualifier. The subsequent month saw Nepal and Oman qualify after reaching the final of the Asia Qualifier. Namibia secured qualification by securing a top-two finish in the Africa Qualifier. The diverse qualification process has shaped the roster for the upcoming tournament, showcasing a global representation of teams ready to compete on the international stage.
Teams to qualify for T20 World Cup 2024
West Indies, USA, Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Nepal, Oman, Namibia, Uganda.
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Uganda create history, become 20th team to qualify for 2024 T20 World Cup as Zimbabwe knocked out
