On Sunday (December 13, 2020) the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the rescheduled qualification pathway to the 2022 ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Some thirty-three (33) countries will compete in five ICC Regional Championships with each winner advancing to the 2022 U19 CWC.
The 2022 ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, the 14th edition of the tournament, is to be hosted by the West Indies during the first calendar quarter of 2020. The top eleven teams from the 2020 U19 CWC automatically secured a place in the 2022 U19 CWC. These eleven teams are: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
The remaining five spots in the tournament will be filled by the winners from each of the five ICC Regions: Africa, Americas, Asia, East Asia-Pacific and Europe. There will be a two stage qualification process for the Africa and Asia regions due to the depth of competitive countries. By contrast, some difficulties in arranging a two-round competition reduced the European Qualifier to a single round.
A single tournament will decide the Regional Champion and Qualifier for the Americas, East- Asia Pacific, and Europe Regions. Difficulties in re-arranging an originally scheduled two-round competition meant the European Qualifier was reduced to a single round.
The start of the qualification process for the 2022 tournament was delayed by a year due to COVID-19 and is now due to begin in June 2021. will now be determined from regional qualifiers, the first of which is currently scheduled for June 2021.
The ICC Americas U19 Qualifier will be hosted by the USA between August 18 and 25. This tournament will include just four countries, namely USA, Argentina, Bermuda and Canada. Canada beat the USA in the closing round of games of the 2019 ICC Americas Regional Qualifier at Maple Leaf Cricket Club and played in this year’s 2020 ICC CWC in South Africa.
The shadow of COVID-19 may still hang over the future of some aspects of these qualifiers, but as the year 2020 draws to an end we look to better days ahead all around our world.
Participants in the U19 Regional Qualifiers
Africa Qualification: Two of Tanzania (hosts), Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Sierra Leone will advance to the Regional Qualifier to be played in Nigeria during September 2021. Nigeria (hosts), Namibia and Uganda are seeded to the Africa Regional Qualifier.
Asia Qualification: Two of Bhutan, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand will advance to the Regional Qualifier to join Malaysia, Nepal and UAE (hosts).
Americas Qualification: USA will host the Regional Qualifier and will compete along with Argentina, Bermuda and Canada between 18 and 25 August 2021
East-Asia Pacific Qualification: Regional Qualifier comprises Japan (hosts) Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. It will be played between 28 September and 4 October, 2021.
Europe: Scotland will host the Qualifier from 30 July to 5 August and will compete alongside Denmark, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey and the Netherlands.
Eddie Norfolk Toronto, Dec 13, 2020