The race to secure 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup slots begins with Nigeria hosting five other African countries in the Sub-Regional African Qualifier C from November 23 to 28, 2024, in Abuja.
Host Nigeria are joined by Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Botswana and St. Helena for a weeklong cricket fiesta that will produce two finalists to the next stage of the World Cup Qualifier.
The top two sides in the tournament will advance to the regional final, where they will be joined by Namibia and Uganda, who were given a bye after having participated in the previous T20 World Cup, and four other teams – Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi from sub-regional qualifiers A and B.
The Abuja sub-regional qualifiers will an exciting event and the stakes are high for the participating teams with two slots available for the T20 World Cup.
Host Nigeria will be looking to leverage its home advantage, while the other nations will aim to showcase their skills and determination to secure qualification.
The tournament will not only highlight the growing talent in African cricket but also foster a sense of camaraderie and competition among the teams.
Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference on Friday, captain of the Nigeria’s team, Sylvester Okpe, said their target is to win the Qualifying tournament and pick of the slots to the regional finals of the Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers.
“Everybody want to qualify for the T20 World Cup. So, our goal is to play good game, win the tournament and qualify for the World Cup.
“We are well prepared for the tournament because we have been training, including our tour in Kenya. So, we are very much ready for the game,” Okpe said.
As for the captain of the Sierra Leone’s team, Lansara Lawin, their mission in Nigeria is to pick of the slots to the regional finals.
“Our aim is to come here and win. It is going to be a good tournament for us,” Lawin said.
With each game potentially determining which teams will advance to the regional final 8, the atmosphere in Abuja is likely to be vibrant, as supporters rally behind their teams.
Each of participating nations has unique cricketing talent and aspirations, making the qualifiers a thrilling showcase of emerging cricketing nations.
As they jostle for slots, fans can expect intense matches filled with passion and determination. Teams will be looking to demonstrate their skills, build experience, and ultimately secure a spot in the prestigious T20 World Cup. The atmosphere during these qualifiers will be electric, as players give their all to make their nations proud.
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