Namibia and Nigeria replace Zimbabwe in ICC Women’s and Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers

Namibia will compete in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019, replacing Zimbabwe which has been suspended by the ICC. The event which gets underway in Scotland later this month will see Namibia join hosts Scotland, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and USA to compete for the two remaining spots at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.

Namibia step into the frame by virtue of their finishing spot in the Africa regional pathway having lost the final of the women’s African Qualifier to Zimbabwe. This maintains the balance of regional representation in the global qualifying events.

In the men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, Nigeria will take the 14th and final spot in place of suspended Zimbabwe when the event gets underway in the UAE in October. Nigeria will join hosts UAE, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jersey, Kenya, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Singapore and two teams from the Americas Final due to be held later this month.

Nigeria came third in the Africa Men’s Final and as such become the third African team in the global qualifier along with Kenya and Namibia, again retaining the regional representation for the event.

Unfortunate for Zimbabwe

Earlier, Zimbabwe players, especially Sikandar Raza were distraught after knowing about the ICC’s decision to suspend their cricket. The cricketers also offered to play for free. But with the teams confirmed to replace Zimbabwe now, their dream to play for the country seems to have ended in a jiffy.

As per ICC, there was a breach of Article 2.4 (c) and (d) of the ICC Constitution. During the meeting, the ICC decided that Zimbabwe had ‘failed to fulfil their obligation to provide a process for free and democratic elections and to ensure that there is no government interference in its administration for cricket’. It remains to be seen now what’s the immediate future for Zimbabwe.