Nepal and Oman have secured two of the three available places in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in Oman on Wednesday.

The two teams clinched their spots to the tournament taking place in India and Sri Lanka with guaranteed top three finishes in the tournament log ahead of their Super Six stage clash on Thursday, with one more spot still available.

Oman and Nepal are in first and second place respectively with unbeaten records in their three completed matches, with only the net run rate separating them.

Five of the first six matches in the Super Six stage went to the final over, highlighting the close finishes between the teams, featuring Nepal prevailing in two nail-biters to book their place.

They brought two carry-over points to the Super Six stage, before clinching final-ball victories against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.

Similarly, Oman also carried over two points to the Super Six, where they also returned victories against Qatar and the UAE.

The UAE currently hold third place after beating Samoa and are just one critical match against Japan away from their T20 World Cup hopes coming to fruition, with Japan needing wins in both their remaining matches.

Qatar and Samoa are still mathematically in with a chance, though they need other results to go their way, as well as a win over the other in their meeting on Thursday, plus the edge on net run rate to remain alive.

Remaining Fixtures

• 16 October, 14:30: United Arab Emirates v Japan
• 16 October, 19:00: Qatar v Samoa
• 17 October, 10:00: Japan v Oman
• 17 October, 14:30: Samoa v Nepal

*All times are local (ICC)

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Sri Lanka women’s skipper Chamari Athapaththu says the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is a platform to showcase the women’s game to the world and show the distance it has come from small beginnings, adding that for Sri Lanka and the team, it was a huge platform. 

Athapaththu went on to note, “We have taken part in many World Cups in the past and each one is a golden opportunity for us.

During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa last year, we showed signs of being a big tournament team and it was a good outing for us, but unfortunately, we were not able to finish the game off in some close contests, such as when we lost to South Africa by three runs.

We showed glimpses of what we were capable of. It was a good learning experience for all our players.

This time, we arrive in a different zone. Having beaten several top teams during the last 15-month period and winning the T20 Asia Cup, our team has come a long way in T20 cricket.

The upcoming World Cup is going to be crucial for us to make our mark on the world stage.

The Asia Cup was the best achievement in women’s cricket for Sri Lanka so far. We remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, defeating Bangladesh in the first round, Pakistan in the semis and India in the final. All the games were closer and more competitive, making it harder for us to achieve our final goal, which we ultimately did.

Apart from the games, our players were delighted by the crowd support. Most of the games that we played were full house, especially the semis and the final. This was a new situation in Sri Lanka for the women’s game. It was not only good for Sri Lanka but for women’s cricket across the world, as it sends a message to the world about women’s cricket and also the power of empowering women.

This time, I am sure we will get plenty of support in the UAE as there are a lot of Sri Lankans out there. The two venues hosting matches are good cricketing venues and we are extremely happy to play in that environment.

Our squad for this competition is oozing with talent and contains a good combination of experience and youth.

We have Harshitha (Samarawickrama), Vishmi (Gunaratne), and Kavisha (Dilhari), the youngsters, who can win games for us, while on the experienced side we have players like Nilakshi (de Silva) and (Anuksha) Sanjeewani, while on the bowling side we have Inoshi (Priyadharshani), who is making waves in the rankings along with a few others. It’s a good mix, and the team is well-bonded.

We know we cannot take any teams for granted in T20 cricket. A few quick wickets, dot balls or big shots can instantly change the complexion of a game. 

Teams like India, Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa have proven their mettle in tournaments such as this over many years, so we are aware of the challenges ahead”. (ICC)

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From the moment Chris Gayle scythed the first delivery of the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for four, a new form of entertainment was born.

The West Indies batter ushered in a new era for cricket with a sizzling 117 against South Africa, the first of countless unforgettable T20 World Cup moments.

For the first time, 20 teams will participate in this year’s Men’s T20 World Cup with a new host and three new teams set to make their bow on the biggest stage.

Ahead of the ninth instalment of the tournament, let’s take a look back at its past.

A behemoth is born

Four years after T20 cricket had been introduced within the English county game, the first T20 World Cup took place in 2007, catapulting the novel format into the mainstream at a time when the global leagues of today were yet to come into existence.

Two weeks of intoxicating cricket ended with a final for the ages between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Johannesburg.

Misbah-ul-Haq dragged Pakistan to the brink of victory but a mistimed scoop with just six runs required from four deliveries handed India the trophy.

A dramatic ending put the seal on what Wisden described as a ‘dream’ debut tournament as the new format became an instant hit.

Legends created and memorable moments

From Yuvraj Singh to Carlos Brathwaite, there has been no shortage of spectacular ICC Men’s T20 World Cup moments.

Yuvraj’s six sixes from the bowling of Stuart Broad is still unmatched while the India-Pakistan, bowl-out match from the group stage of the inaugural tournament also stands alone for its absurdity.

Pakistan earned revenge for their 2007 final defeat at Lord’s two years later, which was earlier the scene of one of the great World Cup shocks when the Netherlands upset hosts England.

England bounced back quickly to win their first white-ball silverware a year later in the Caribbean.

The West Indies then lit up Colombo with their ‘Gangnam Style’ inspired celebrations in the 2012 final, before beaten finalists Sri Lanka made it third time lucky in 2014, a fitting T20 swansong for legendary pair Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

After five different winners across the first five tournaments, the Windies became the first team to win two Men’s T20 World Cups after Brathwaite’s last-over heroics broke English hearts, the batter striking four consecutive sixes off the bowling of Ben Stokes to seal a four-wicket win.

Despite their dominance at ODI World Cups, Australia had to wait until 2021 to lift their first T20 World Cup, leaving New Zealand as the only finalists yet to win heading into 2024.

England are the holders after their win in Australia two years ago, when Player of the Tournament Sam Curran produced a Player of the Match display to see off Pakistan in the final.

More teams than ever before

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will break new ground with 20 teams competing for the first time ever.

It will also be the first ICC World Cup tournament to feature matches played in the United States and with 55 games in store, it will be the biggest cricket tournament in ICC history.

Three new teams will be welcomed to the top table, with hosts the United States, Canada and Uganda all participating in their maiden T20 World Cup tournament.

With new faces and new pitches to get to know, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 promises to be more unpredictable and unforgettable than ever before. (ICC)

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