The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the green light for the qualification process of the Men’s T20 World Cup, which is set to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India in 2026. This decision was made during a meeting of the ICC Board held in Dubai.
The 10th edition of the tournament will feature 12 automatic qualifiers, including the host nations and the top 8 teams from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. India and Sri Lanka, as hosts, will secure direct qualification, while the remaining spots will be filled by teams based on their performance in the 2024 edition.
If India and Sri Lanka finish within the top 8 in 2024, six additional teams will qualify for the 2026 tournament. However, if they finish outside the top 8, they will still qualify alongside the top 8 teams. Additionally, four teams will qualify based on the ICC T20I team rankings as of June 30, 2024, while the remaining eight slots will be filled through Regional Qualifiers.
Similar to the 9th edition of the tournament, which will be hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America in 2024, the 2026 event will feature 20 teams. The ICC aims to maintain this format to ensure inclusivity and maximize participation.
In other updates, the ICC has confirmed that reserve days will be scheduled for the semi-finals and finals of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Moreover, specific criteria have been outlined regarding the minimum number of overs required for a match to be considered valid during different stages of the tournament.
With preparations underway for both the 2024 and 2026 editions, cricket fans can anticipate thrilling matches and fierce competition in the coming years.
