The International Cricket Council (ICC) has put an end to speculation regarding Bangladesh's future in global tournaments, confirming that the Tigers will directly qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Questions had arisen about Bangladesh's eligibility for the next edition after the team opted out of the ongoing tournament in India and Sri Lanka.
However, an ICC press release issued clarified that Bangladesh's participation in the 2028 event, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, has been secured based on their ICC T20I team ranking, reports UNB.
The qualification picture became clear following Pakistan's victory over Namibia in Colombo today, which finalized the Super Eight lineup.
The teams advancing to the next round-Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, West Indies, England, South Africa, and New Zealand-have all automatically qualified for the 2028 edition.
According to the qualification rules for the 20-team tournament, 12 teams qualify automatically. This includes the co-hosts and the top performers from the current World Cup. While Australia failed to reach the Super Eight this year, their spot is guaranteed as a host nation.
With nine spots filled (the Super Eight teams plus Australia), the remaining three automatic slots are determined by the ICC T20I rankings as of March 9, the day after the current World Cup final.
Currently, Bangladesh sits at 9th in the rankings, followed by Afghanistan at 10th and Ireland at 12th. The ICC noted that with no upcoming T20 International fixtures scheduled before the March 9 cutoff that could mathematically alter these positions, the qualification of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ireland is effectively confirmed.
The remaining eight spots in the 20-team tournament will be filled through regional qualifying tournaments, with each region allocated berths based on its overall competitive strength.
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