Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have failed to earn a direct entry for the next T20 World Cup owing to their rankings. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday stated that both the Asian countries will now have to fight for a place in a group stage competition in 2020.
ICC also confirmed that top eight teams namely Pakistan, India, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies, and Afghanistan will start their campaign directly in the Super 12s. The lineup was decided on account of T20I team rankings as of December 31.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, ranked 9 and 10 on the charts, will contest with the other six qualifiers in the group stage of the tournament, which will be held from October 18 to November 15, 2020.
According to the qualification criteria, the top eight make it straight to the Super 12s stage while the remaining two have to feature in the group stage along with six teams, who make it through the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier in 2019. Four teams from the group stage will progress to the Super 12s.
Disappointed at not achieving direct qualification, Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga said: "It is a bit disappointing that we have not been able to ensure a direct Super 12s berth but I’m confident that we will do well in the tournament."
“Having played three finals and winning once, it is natural that everyone expected us to finish in the top eight but we have to take the opportunity in the extra matches of the group stage and prepare well for the knock-out matches.
“We have some fine players in the ranks and it is only a matter of doing our best when the time comes. We look forward to challenges coming our way as we prepare for the big event,” he further added.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan also expressed his displeasure, saying that recent performances had given his team the belief to respond well to the challenge.
“We have not secured a direct Super 12s berth but I’m confident that we will do well in the tournament by going through the group stage,” Shakib asserted.
“We are a side capable of beating the best on our day and I see no reason why we can’t go far in the tournament. There is still some time and we will use it to be at our best for the T20 World Cup.
“We won a T20 series against the West Indies, the world champions, in their backward not so long ago. That performance has given us a lot of belief in our Twenty20 capabilities,” he explained.
(With ICC inputs)
