Eleven of the fourteen participants in the Pepsi ICC Global Twenty20, scheduled for July 6-26 in Ireland and Scotland, are already known. Two countries will progress from the upcoming Pepsi ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in Indianapolis. Obviously in Canada it will be both hoped and expected that Canada not only progress from the Americas event to the Global Qualify but top the standings in Indianapolis.

Canadian high hopes and expectations of success exist in the hearts and minds of many followers of cricket in this country, although, probably, few have any knowledge about the turf wicket in Indianapolis. But the state of the wicket is a matter for later days. Matters to be covered from both a theoretical perspective (preview) and from the practical perspective of what happens in real games.
Others may seek to run computer fantasy games in which balls regularly sail over the boundaries for six when Canada is batting then wickets tumble at a spectacular rate when Canada bowls.
The remaining spot in the Global Qualifier will be decided by the European Division One Twenty20 tournament in Jersey that is set for May 9-13, 2015. Denmark, France, Guernsey, Italy, Jersey and Norway form the case for that European tournament.
So, at present, eleven teams have reached the 2015 Global Twenty20 Qualifier, including the top six from the 2013 Global Twenty20 Qualifier. Those six are: Ireland, Afghanistan, Nepal, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Netherlands and Hong Kong.
Scotland participate as co-hosts of the 2015 tournament. Namibia and Kenya qualified from the recent African qualifying tournament. Oman progressed though he Asian Cricket Council qualifier and Papua New Guinea advanced from the East Asia Pacific regional qualifier.
So the first step on the current road for Canada is to place in the top two during the upcoming Americas qualifier in Indianapolis and then to regroup for the challenge of July’s global event in Ireland and Scotland. The promised land of Canada reaching the initial phase of the 2016 World Twenty20 in India and then battling it out on the field with the world’s leading cricketing powers is a topic for another day.
There, similarly, is little point at this time in returning to the issue that a top six spot in the 2013 ICC Global Qualifier would have meant Canada was already qualified for the July 2015 ICC Global Qualifier. At least, with thanks to some leading Canadian players relationships with a sometime USACA sponsor, the chance arose for Canada to play some warm-up games in Houston, Texas before taking on the USA, Bermuda and Suriname in Indianapolis. (EN)