Nepal and Oman have officially secured their spots in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, even before their final Super Six clash in Al Amerat at the Asia-EAP Qualifier.
Their qualification was confirmed earlier when UAE defeated Samoa by 77 runs, a result that ensured both Nepal and Oman could not be overtaken in the standings.
Nepal have now qualified thire for the tournament, following their participation in the 2014 and 2024 editions.
Oman had participated in the previous T20 World Cup held in the USA and the Caribbean. Overalll, Oman have now secured its place in the T20 World Cup for the third time, having previously qualified in 2016 and 2024.
Five of the first six matches in the Super Six stage went down to the final over, with Nepal winning two thrilling encounters to secure their place.
Unbeaten in the group stage, Nepal brought two carry-over points to the Super Six stage before their nail-biting victories against UAE and Qatar. Oman also carried two points to the Super Six stage and easily defended 172 against Qatar to secure a win. In the match against UAE, late hitting by Nadeem Khan proved decisive, as Oman clinched victory with two balls to spare.
Who Will Join Nepal And Oman?
Another team from the regional tournament will also advance to next year’s global event.
The UAE currently holds third position after a strong win over Samoa and will face Japan in a crucial game, aiming to recover from their narrow defeat to Qatar. Needing 32 runs off the final three overs with three wickets in hand, Qatar won with two balls to spare, thanks to final contributions from Muhammad Ikramullah (16 not out off 9) and Daniel Archer (12 not out off 8).
Despite their strong group stage performance, Samoa has been eliminated from a top three spot after failing to replicate their success against Papua New Guinea.
Qatar remains mathematically alive, but they need other results to go their way, including a win over Samoa on Thursday, and an advantage in net run rate to stay in contention.
When Is T20 World Cup?
The 2026 T20 World Cup, set to be the second consecutive 20-team event, will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 6 to March 7.
(With inputs from Agencies)
