Melbourne [Australia], June 21 (ANI): New Zealand turned the newest entrant to the ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup 2024 in Sri Lanka after profitable the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in Australia on Wednesday.
“New Zealand became the latest nation to qualify for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in Sri Lanka, as a series of strong displays saw them emerge victorious from the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier that concluded in Australia today,” mentioned a press release from ICC.
Unbeaten all through the occasion, and recording massive victories within the course of, the gifted crop led by skipper Oscar Jackson was confirmed because the thirteenth group heading to subsequent yr’s essential occasion, by advantage of ending the event on the high of the standings following a convincing win of their closing fixture towards Indonesia on Monday.
New Zealand now joins Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe because the confirmed groups in Sri Lanka 2024.
The victors loved a number of highlights all through the event, owing to a variety of high quality particular person performances because the event opener on 12 June. Zac Cumming, Alex Thomson and the event’s high run-scorer Tom Jones (283 runs) had been notable architects of New Zealand’s surge to qualification, highlighting the all-round power of the table-topping facet.
Reacting to his facet’s qualification for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024, New Zealand captain Jackson commented, “Obviously, all of the boys are stoked about our qualification. We have been extremely lucky to have enjoyed such awesome preparation over the last few months in the lead-up to this tournament.””As a team, we are delighted to come to Darwin and play a style of cricket that we are all really proud of. I am so proud of the way in which the boys have come together, to form such a positive and inclusive environment.””Our squad knows that there’s still plenty of hard work to come over the next few months in the lead-up to Sri Lanka, but we are pleased with the direction we are heading in as a team,” concluded Jackson.
Elsewhere, Japan loved a prolific run of outcomes regardless of their loss within the event opener. Winning their final 5 fixtures in Darwin to finally end in second place, they might additionally boast the event’s top-wicket taker, Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake, who took 17 wickets, together with phenomenal figures of seven for 11 runs towards Vanuatu.
Following the final spherical of fixtures on Wednesday, Fiji bowler Sunia Tuiwai Yalimaiwai was awarded the Player of the Tournament prize, most notably for his match-winning exploits towards PNG (three for 23) and Indonesia (5 for 13). Other bowlers additionally hit the headlines in Darwin, with no fewer than three hattricks recorded over the ten-day event interval.
New Zealand’s qualification means simply three spots stay open for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024, and the ultimate competing nations might be determined via the remaining Regional Qualifiers in Africa, Europe and Americas.
The subsequent occasion, the Africa Regional Qualifier, might be held in Tanzania from July 23-29 and the groups aiming to seal their place on the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup might be Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda.
The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 will see the world’s most enjoyable younger expertise go head-to-head, persevering with the occasion’s wealthy legacy of forging the longer term stars of the lads’s sport. The fifteenth version of the event sees it return to Sri Lanka for the primary time since 2006.
Remaining Qualifying Events for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024Africa Regional Qualifier, 23-29 July 2023, TanzaniaCompeting Teams: Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, UgandaEurope Regional Qualifier, 6-12 August, NetherlandsCompeting Teams: Guernsey, Italy, Jersey, Netherlands, Norway, ScotlandAmericas Regional Qualifier, 11-17 August, CanadaCompeting Teams: Argentina, Bermuda, Canada, Suriname, USAICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 Qualification Structure16 groups might be competing on the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Sri Lanka 2024 over 41 matches. 11 groups have routinely certified for the occasion because the best-placed Full Member nations from the earlier occasion in 2022. These are: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
The remaining 5 spots are decided via regional qualification pathways, with one group from every area securing a spot on the occasion.
Americas and EAP every host one qualifying occasion in 2023, with the winner of every occasion sealing a spot on the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Sri Lanka 2024.
The Africa, Asia and Europe areas every have a two-step qualification construction. These areas hosted Division 2 Qualifiers in 2022 to find out the groups that may compete within the second and closing qualifying occasion, the Regional Qualifier, with occasions happening in 2023.
Only the profitable groups from the Regional Qualifiers will qualify to compete on the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Sri Lanka 2024.
The Asia and EAP qualification pathways concluded with Nepal and New Zealand advancing from their respective areas. (ANI)