Pakistan and New Zealand Crash Out of T20 World Cup, Miss Out on 2026 Edition

The 2024 T20 World Cup has witnessed the early exits of two major teams, Pakistan and New Zealand, who failed to qualify for the Super 8s. Pakistan's elimination was sealed after the match between the USA and Ireland was washed out, while New Zealand's hopes were dashed by Afghanistan's seven-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea.

The Super 8s stage serves as a gateway to the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India. As per the qualification rules, 12 out of the 20 participating teams will automatically qualify for the next edition.

The hosts, India and Sri Lanka, along with all Super 8 teams, will secure direct entry. India, having already reached the Super 8s from Group A, qualifies under two categories. South Africa (Group D), West Indies, Afghanistan (Group C), Australia (Group B), and the USA (Group A) have also earned their spots in the 2026 edition by advancing to the Super 8 stage.

The remaining spot from Group D will be claimed by either Bangladesh or Netherlands, while Scotland and England are vying for the final Super 8 position from Group B. In total, nine teams, including Sri Lanka, will qualify directly, with three more joining them based on their ICC Men's T20I rankings as of June 30th, 2024.

Currently, Pakistan holds the seventh position with 241 rating points, while New Zealand is sixth with 247 points. These two teams are well ahead of other contenders such as Bangladesh (9th, 226 points) and Ireland (11th, 195 points).

The remaining eight spots will be filled through the ICC's regional qualification pathway, with two each from Europe, Asia, and Africa, and one each from the East Asia Pacific and Americas regions. In the current edition, Ireland and Scotland (Europe), Nepal and Oman (Asia), Namibia and Uganda (Africa), Canada (Americas), and Papua New Guinea (East Asia Pacific) qualified through this process. The USA secured their place as joint hosts.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #Pakistan, #NewZealand, #Super8s, #Qualification