DUBLIN: Although the Ireland cricket team is out of this year’s T20 group competition, they have successfully qualified for the next World Cup. This early qualification for the 2026 tournament allows the team to begin preparations well in advance.
The 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India, will see Ireland among the first 12 teams to qualify. This announcement followed the automatic qualification of teams that reached the ‘Super-Eight’ stage of the 2024 World Cup, which included Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies.
In an unexpected turn, the USA included Pakistan in their group, securing spots for both Pakistan and the USA. This leaves Ireland in 11th place, ensuring their participation alongside seventh-placed Pakistan and sixth-placed New Zealand.
Ireland’s qualification path involves regional qualifiers, similar to those for the 2024 World Cup. They will need to compete against Scotland and the Netherlands in the European qualifiers.
The 2026 World Cup will feature 55 matches, following the same format as this year: four groups of five teams each, progressing to two Super Eight groups, followed by two semi-finals, and culminating in the final match.
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