Everything you need to know ahead of the T20 World Cup Qualifier A

Two spots for this year’s tournament in Australia will be decided in the week-long tournament, and teams have little time to find their feet in a new, unrelenting format.

Previously played out as a 14-team Global Qualifier, the race for the final T20 World Cup places is now played out through two separate competitions of eight teams, with the first beginning on February 18.

The eight teams in each qualifier are then divided into two groups of four, with the top two teams after the single round robin group phase progressing to the semi-finals. The top teams after group stage play will take on the second-place finisher in the opposite group, with the semi-final winners booking their ticket for Australia.

The teams will play in a final to determine which First Round group they will enter, with the other teams at the competition playing off for the minor places.

This year’s 16-team field is arguably stronger than that of the previous cycle, with Nepal making a return after a stumble in the Asia qualifier last time out, and UAE in a rich vein of form. Both sides feature in the first qualifier, with Zimbabwe, returning after their suspension during the last cycle, drawn in the second qualifier in July.

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Viewers in Nepal can watch every match of the Qualifier via Himalaya TV.

The jewel in the Associate crown, the Oman Cricket Academy is the location of the A Qualifier, off the back of an exemplary effort hosting last year’s ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Failing to secure qualification for Australia by virtue of a Super 12 spot at the tournament proper last year, Oman are drawn into Group B, with Ireland, experiencing the same fate, drawn in Group A.

The Netherlands and Papua New Guinea, the other teams bundled out in the first round at the T20 World Cup, will compete at the ‘B’ Qualifier in July.

T20 World Cup Qualifier A Groups

Group A

IrelandT20I ranking: 13th

The T20 format has been Ireland’s Achilles heel, and a First Round exit in UAE at the last T20 World Cup posed difficult questions for a playing group struggling to find rhythm.

The transition between the golden generation of talent to take them to Test match status and the next generation has been rocky, and in spite of the emergence of the likes of Gareth Delany and Curtis Campher, Ireland's campaign hinges on a new opening pair, with 17th ranked T20I batter Paul Stirling now joined by skipper Andy Balbirnie.

The shuffle comes after the curious omission of Stirling's long-time partner Kevin O’Brien, the second-highest run-scorer for Ireland in the format, and means the side are turning to a number of all-rounders to contribute in the death overs.

Simi Singh, George Dockrell and Mark Adair's contributions on both sides are vital if Ireland are to overcome a strong field, and left-armer Josh Little poses a different threat to a number of right-arm options.

United Arab EmiratesT20I ranking:15th

Forced to make late personnel shuffles before the last global qualifier, UAE have rebuilt impeccably through a systemic shift across both the U19 and senior men’s sides, and could well be the team to beat.

Winning the quadrangular series over in Ireland, Nepal and Oman, Ahmed Raza’s side cover all bases with the bat and provide enough bowling depth to trouble everyone at the tournament.

Raza’s left-arm orthodox holds the key on the bowling side of things, with the batting stocks highlighted in the form of Muhammad Waseem’s outstanding attacking play, and the experience of Chirag Suri. Basil Hameed provides with both ball and bat, and Kashif Daud has emerged as a new face in the first eleven.

Wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind is the leader of UAE’s young brigade, with leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan also set to play a role in the campaign with his traditional leg-spin.

GermanyT20I ranking: 33rd

Agonisingly missing out on reaching the Global Qualifier on net run rate for the last tournament, Germany were beneficiaries of a superior net run rate this time around in the Europe Qualifier, edging Italy in the double round robin to finish in second behind Jersey. Germany's European success was built in the field, holding Denmark to 110 and 107, as well as Italy to just 103.

Dieter Klein leads an attack of several bowling options, with Muslim Yar, Elam Bharathi and Ghulam Ahmadi set to play big roles with the ball.

Skipper Venkatraman Ganesan and Dylan Blignaut will chime in with both bat and ball, with Michael Richardson holding the key at the top of the order.

In preparation for the tournament, Richardson, who boasts an average of 33.85 in the format, has linked up with former county teammate and current Scottish captain Kyle Coetzer, who he could meet in Australia again after a successful Qualifier campaign.

BahrainT20I ranking: 34th

Both the East and West Asian sub-regions have become fiercely competitive regions, with the Western side seeing a collectively strong qualifier.

Four of the five teams of the round robin tournament won at least two matches, with Bahrain (three wins from four), edging Qatar by just 0.093 on net run rate.

Chasing down Qatar's 133 in just 13.1 overs on day one proved to be vital for Bahrain, cancelling out a heavy defeat to Kuwait, who chased down their 124 in 11.3 overs. Trying to make up the ground on the final day of the competition, Qatar's win over Kuwait was not enough to leapfrog Bahrain, who held on in a victory against Saudi Arabia.

40-year-old skipper Sarfaraz Ali is a consistent performer with the bat, making at least 22 in his last four T20I innings. He's likely to be joined but Muhammad Younis at the top of the order, who displayed his power with an innings of 82* from just 44 balls in the opening match against Qatar.

Seamer Sathaiya Veerapathiran is the spearhead with the ball.

Group B

NepalT20I ranking: 12th

Led by a new skipper in T20 journeyman Sandeep Lamichhane and re-united with coach Pubudu Dassanayake, Nepal come into the tournament with qualifying for Australia the minimum objective.

So often built on a platform of strong bowling, Nepal's current crop boasts more explosiveness at the top of the order than the previous generation of talent. Even with the retirement of talisman Paras Khadka, Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh have put the word 'power' back into the Powerplay, and Gyanendra Malla has added an extra attacking dimension to his play. Dipendra Singh Airee is the glue of Nepal's middle order, while Veteran Sharad Vesawkar is entrusted to lift in the death overs, with the importance of his contribution compounded with the loss of Karan KC to injury.

On the bowling side, the depth of talent is too strong for opponents not to attack against Lamichhane's canny leg-spin. Abhinash Bohora is the form seamer off the back of the recent Quadrangular series on Oman.

OmanT20I ranking:17th

Oman lost out to Nepal when the teams met in the Quadrangular series, and Zeeshan Maqsood's side know they must be at their best to prevail, even on home turf.

The ICC Associate Men's Player of the Year, Maqsood's challenge is made harder with the loss of batting all-rounder Aqib Ilyas to a long term injury, though the right-hander would likely be available for the the World Cup should his team qualify.

Similar to their home T20 World Cup campaign, Oman's batting still largely hinges on the power of Jatinder Singh, as well as the more-measured Kashyap Prajapati. Death over hitting has been a weakness of the side, though Naseem Khushi at times has shown glimpses of late-innings quality.

Yorker specialist Bilal Khan will bowl his overs in bookend fashion, and Khawar Ali's leg-spin is vital for a successful campaign.

CanadaT20I ranking: 22nd

Canada find themselves in a tough group in Oman, likely needing a win over either Nepal or the hosts to reach the final four.

Skipper Navneet Dhaliwal and Rayyan Pathan lead the batting effort, as the team welcome young all-rounder Matthew Spoors. Spoors' leg-spin should compliment the left-arm orthodox of Saad Bin Zafar who holds the key with the ball, though the lack of a standout quick bowler means the spin attack could be on the back foot before they take the ball.

A victory at the last global qualifier over Ireland has shown Canada are capable of great things at the Qualifier, though the absence of the unavailable Nitish Kumar means Dhaliwal's side face an uphill battle in booking a ticket to Australia.

PhilippinesT20I ranking: 46th

After the cancellation of the East Asia-Pacific regional qualifying, Philippines enter the tournament on their T20I ranking, four spots above Vanuatu. The leap above their rivals came in a rain-reduced five-over affair back at the 2019 Qualifier, when Jonathan Hill's side defended 46 at Amini Park in Port Moresby.

The skipper has been the pick of the bowlers in his country's young T20I history, with Daniel Smith a key player both at the top of the order and with ball in hand.

Oman v Nepal: 18 February
Canada v Philippines: 18 February
Ireland v UAE: 18 February
Germany v Bahrain: 18 February
Oman v Canada: 19 February
Nepal v Philippines: 19 February
UAE v Germany: 19 February
Ireland v Bahrain: 19 February
Ireland v Germany: 21 February
UAE v Bahrain: 21 February
Nepal v Canada: 21 February
Oman v Philippines: 21 February

Canada v Germany: 22 February
Bahrain v Philippines: 22 February
Semi-Final 1: Nepal v UAE: 22 February
Semi-Final 2: Oman v Ireland: 22 February
7/8 Playoff: Germany v Philippines: 24 February
5/6 Playoff: Canada v Bahrain: 24 February
3/4 Playoff: Nepal v Oman: 24 February
Final: UAE v Ireland: 24 February