The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the groupings for the upcoming cycle of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League, a crucial stepping stone towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. With twelve teams divided into two groups, Challenge League A and Challenge League B, the pathway to the prestigious tournament promises intense competition and thrilling encounters over the next few years.
Challenge League A will see Denmark, Jersey, Kenya, Kuwait, Papua New Guinea, and Qatar battling it out for top honors, while Challenge League B will feature Bahrain, Hong Kong China, Italy, Singapore, Tanzania, and Uganda vying for supremacy.
This edition of the Challenge League offers teams a heightened opportunity for progression, with the winners and runners-up from each group securing coveted berths at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff, a crucial stage in the qualification process.
The composition of the Challenge League reflects a diverse mix of nations, with eight teams earning their spots based on their performance in the previous edition of the qualification pathway. Additionally, four teams clinched their positions by emerging victorious in the recently concluded Challenge League Playoff held in Malaysia. These teams include Bahrain, Italy, Kuwait, and Tanzania, who demonstrated their mettle and determination to advance on the global cricketing stage.
The teams featuring in Challenge League A are Denmark, Jersey, Kenya, Kuwait, Papua New Guinea and Qatar. Challenge League B will be comprised of Bahrain, Hong Kong China, Italy, Singapore, Tanzania and Uganda.
While the fixture schedule for the Challenge League is yet to be finalized, the competition will unfold through three round-robin series spanning from 2024 to 2026. These series will be pivotal in determining which teams will continue their journey towards qualification, as they vie for a chance to compete against the bottom four teams from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
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