ICC announces rescheduled qualification pathway to 2022 U-19 World Cup, 33 teams to vie for five spots

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the rescheduled qualification pathway for the 2022 U-19 World Cup in the West Indies. A total of 33 teams will battle it out for five World Cup spots.

The 14th edition of U-19 World Cup will be held in the Caribbean in early 2022. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe have already qualified for the event as they finished in the Top 11 in the 2020 edition.

The remaining five spots for the 2022 U-19 World Cup will be determined via regional qualification, the process for which had to be delayed by a year due to COVID-19.

There will be a total of seven regional events, starting from June 2021, to decide the five teams for the 2022 U-19 World Cup. In Africa and Asia, there will be a two-division qualification pathway.

Qualification process for 2022 U-19 World Cup begins from June 2021

The Qualification process for the 2022 U-19 World Cup will kick-off in Tanzania with the Africa Division 2 in June 2021. The hosts, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone will battle it out for two slots. They will be then join Namibia, Nigeria and Uganda in the Africa Qualifier in September 2021.

The Qualifier will be held in Nigeria, who made their maiden appearance at the 2020 U-19 World Cup. The top side from this event will make it to West Indies.

Similarly, the Asia region also has two divisions. The top two sides from Bhutan, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand in Division 2 will join Malaysia, Nepal and UAE in the Asia Qualifier. The top team from the Asia Qualifier, to be held in the UAE, will progress to the main event.

The other three slots for the 2022 U-19 World Cup will be filled up courtesy the remaining qualifiers -- East-Asia Pacific, Europe and Americas. Scotland will host the Qualifier in Europe, from July 30 to August 5. The competing sides feature Denmark, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey and the Netherlands.

USA will host the Americas Qualifier. Argentina, Bermuda and Canada will be the other teams fighting it out for a place in the 2022 U-19 World Cup. The matches will be held between August 18 and 25 next year.

As for the EAP qualifier, Japan will host Indonesia, PNG, and Vanuatu between September 28 and October 4.

ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said:

“The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup showcases the future stars of our game, with many top-class cricketers around the world having featured at this event. The qualification pathway also provides teams with the opportunity to display their progression at this level, with the likes of Japan and Nigeria qualifying for the last edition of the Men’s U19 CWC for the first time ever."

“With 33 teams in the running for five World Cup spots I am sure we will see a highly competitive series of events and the emergence of players that will become household names in the future.”

In the 2020 edition of the U-19 World Cup held in South Africa, Bangladesh stunned India in the final by three wickets to lift their maiden title.