The ICC has announced the rescheduled qualification pathway to the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022. The 14th edition of the event will see hosts West Indies joined by Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe who have all qualified for the tournament due to finishing in the top 11 during the 2020 event in South Africa.
The remaining five places will be again filled through direct regional qualifiers. There are seven qualification events scheduled to take place during 2021 following their postponement due to the effects of the ongoing global pandemic.
The five regions:
Europe
The European pathway will take place on the 30 July to 5 August and will see hosts Scotland compete against Denmark, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey and the Netherlands.
Defending champion / 2020 qualifier: Scotland
Americas
The Americas qualifier will be hosted in the USA with the American team competing against Argentina, Bermuda and Canada between 18 and 25 August 2021.
Defending champion / 2020 qualifier: Canada
East Asia Pacific
The EAP pathway event will be again be hosted in Japan and will take place between 28 September and 4 October and will see Japan compete against Indonesia, PNG and Vanuatu.
Defending champion / 2020 qualifier: Japan
Africa
The ICC has decided that Africa requires two divisions due to the strength of the continent’s cricket and the number of teams competing. The division two tournament will be hosted in Tanzania and sees the hosts compete against Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Sierra Leone during June 2021. The top two teams from will then join Namibia, Nigeria and Uganda in the Division One Africa Qualifier in September 2021 which is being hosted in Nigeria, with the top team heading to the main event.
Defending champion / 2020 qualifier: Nigeria
Asia
The Asia pathway also consists of two divisions with Bhutan, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Thailand competing in Division Two, with the top team progressing.
Division One will be hosted in the UAE with the hosts playing against Malaysia and Nepal along with the qualifier. The dates for the Asian qualifying events are still to be confirmed.
Defending champion / 2020 qualifier: UAE
When talking about the announcement 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’.
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