ICC Women’s T20 Regional Qualifier aims to spread cricket in all parts of the world by engaging teams to play competitive matches against each other from that region to qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 Global Qualifier where they will play against the champions from three other regions alongside the two full member teams who came last in the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup. The final stage of qualification for the 2018 Women’s World T20 scheduled to take place in West Indies from November 3 to November 24.
The four regions Asia, European/America, Africa and East Asia Pacific (EAP) will see teams from each regions competing against each other in a double round robin format with the top team from Africa and EAP and top two teams from European/America and Asia region move ahead in the Global Qualifiers along with Bangladesh and Ireland who occupied the last two spot in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2016.
The four regions Asia, European/America, Africa and East Asia Pacific (EAP) will see teams from each regions competing against each other in a double round robin format with the top team from Africa and EAP and top two teams from European/America and Asia region move ahead in the Global Qualifiers along with Bangladesh and Ireland who occupied the last two spot in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2016.
East Asia Pacific
The EAP regional qualifiers took place from April 28 to May 5 in Japan which four teams Japan, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa and Vanuatu take on each other in the double round robin format. The qualifiers ended with Samoa and PNG having equal points but PNG booked a place in the Global Qualifiers on the basis of having better run-rate. In the final match between Samoa and PNG, PNG continued their trend of bowling first and taking some early wickets. Samoa posted a total of 79 runs from their quota of 20 overs with Samoa’s captain Regina Lili’I scoring 32 runs off 45 balls. In reply, PNG got off to a flier with their opening pair scoring 33 runs in the first six overs. Samoa then bounced back taking four wickets in a quick succession however, PNG took the game away with six wickets in hand and six balls to spare thus earning a place in the Global Qualifiers.
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Europe / America
Host Scotland, Netherlands and United States of America (USA) took on each other in the European /America Qualifiers from 14th-19th August eyeing for a spot in the Women’s T20 global qualifier. This leg saw some intriguing cricket with all the three teams giving a tough fight for the two spot. This region saw Scotland and Netherlands progress for the ultimate qualifiers having secured five points each. Scotland topped the chart with a better run-rate despite losing the final match of the leg to Netherlands. Heather Siegers from the Netherlands team was awarded the woman of the tournament for scoring 108 runs and taking four wickets.
Africa
In the Africa leg of the regional qualifiers, Uganda surprised everybody as they progressed through to the Global Qualifiers beating an experienced Zimbabwean Women’s team to finish at the top spot. Uganda chased down a modest total of 99 runs with three balls to spare and seven wickets down. Uganda’s Gertrude Candiru was the pick of the player taking three crucial wickets giving away only 14 runs and notching up 23 important runs in 23 balls taking her team over the rope. Candiru was also awarded the player of the tournament for scoring 107 runs and taking 15 wickets with a mere average of only 7.
Asia
The Asia region qualifier which is slated to take place in Thailand from November 20 will see six teams from different parts of the continent locking horns against each other for the two spots in the Global Qualifiers. China, Thailand, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nepal and Hong Kong will take part in the tournament for inching closer to the next edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The teams will play in a double round robin format and the top two teams at the conclusion of the event will move further for the final round of qualification.
Host Thailand and Nepal are most likely the favourite sides which will move ahead for the Global T20 Qualifiers. Thailand skipper, Sornnarin Tippoch will be a key player for the host as the team will bank on this veteran all-rounder to move ahead while Nepal will look to Nirmala Kumari to lead the bowling attack. Nepal’s left-handed batsman Nary Thapa, who is recently out of form, will also want to make a mark for herself and help her team go through. Malaysia will also give a tough fight to both the teams as they will go all-out in the tournament to bring results to their favour.
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The Global Qualifier will see eight teams competing against each other with two teams each from Asia and European/America qualifiers and one team each from the Africa and EAP qualifiers. The other two teams who will join the regional winners will be the last two teams from the previous edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.