Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Regional Qualifiers postponed due to Covid-19

Pathway tournaments in Africa and Asia have been rescheduled due to restrictions on travel and sporting activities in participating countries

The ICC has announced the postponement of three ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifying tournaments due to Covid-19.

The affected tournaments – the Asia A qualifier and Sub Regional Africa A and B qualifiers – are pathway events to next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The Asia A qualifier, which is two steps away from World Cup qualification, involving Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar and Saudi Arabia was due to be hosted between April 3-9, 2021.

However, due to the Covid-related suspension of sporting activities in several participating countries, and the extensive quarantine requirements for travelling teams, the tournament has been postponed until October 23-29, 2021 in Kuwait.

Likewise, the Sub Regional Africa A and B qualifiers – three steps away from Australia 2022 – which were due to be hosted by South Africa in April 2021 have been rescheduled for October 25-31, 2021. Qualifier A involves Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland and Uganda and Qualifier B includes Botswana, Cameroon, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, St Helena and Tanzania.

The subsequent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier involving Kenya, Nigeria (hosting) and the top teams from the Sub Regional A and B tournaments, respectively, has been pushed back to November 24-27, 2021.

^{Kenya, who are due to compete in the Africa qualifier, are one of the affected teams}

Africa’s qualifying event for the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup has been rescheduled from October 2021 to September 3-11, 2021 to ease calendar congestion. The participating countries are Botswana, Cameroon, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, qualifying events for the ICC U19s Men’s Cricket World Cup have also been affected. The Asia Division 2 qualifier has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions in host country, Thailand. Oman and Singapore have been promoted to the Asia Qualifier scheduled for September in the United Arab Emirates, due to their superior record in historic qualifiers.

The Africa Division 2 qualifier, scheduled for June 2021, has been postponed until August 7-13, 2021. Two of Tanzania, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Sierra Leone will then progress to the Africa qualifier, running September 25-October 1, and compete against Nigeria, Namibia and Uganda for one spot at the 2022 U19 Cricket World Cup.

Commenting on the calendar changes, ICC head of events, Chris Tetley, said: "As part of the ICC’s comprehensive contingency planning process we have decided to postpone three Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 qualifying events and the Africa U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Division 2 due to COVID-19. With a combination of restrictions in place in some participating countries limiting the opportunity for team preparation, as well as ongoing quarantine requirements and travel restrictions, there was no other option but to postpone and reschedule the events.

"Unfortunately, due to there being no suitable options to stage the event within the necessary timelines, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel the U19 Men’s CWC Asia Division 2 Qualifier. As a result, Oman and Singapore are promoted to the U19 Men’s CWC Asia Qualifier on the basis of their performances in the five previous editions of the event.

"In addition, we have also rescheduled the Men’s and Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers and confirmed the dates for the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier to ease calendar congestion and to provide the best opportunity for qualification to be determined on the field of play.

"We will continue to monitor and assess all events across our pathway structures with the ICC’s priority continuing to be to protect the well-being of players, coaches, officials and fans."

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