Sri Lanka, Bangladesh fail to secure direct qualification to T20 WC Super 12s

Dubai: Former champions Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have failed to get direct qualification for the men’s T20 World Cup’s Super 12s owing to their low rankings and will have to fight for a place in a group stage competition in 2020.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday stated that top-ranked Pakistan, India, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the Windies and an on-the-rise Afghanistan will start their campaign directly in the Super 12s.

But former champions and three-time finalists Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will have to contend with the other six qualifiers in the group stage of the tournament, which will be held from October 18 to November 15, 2020.

As per the qualification criteria, the top eight make it straight to the Super 12s stage while the remaining two have to play in the group stage along with teams, which will make it through from the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier in 2019. Four teams from the group stage will advance to the Super 12s.

Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga was disappointed at 2014 champions not making it to the Super 12s but was confident of the team doing well in the tournament.

“It is a bit disappointing that we have not been able to ensure a direct Super 12s berth but I’m confident that we will do well in the tournament,” Malinga said.

“…it is natural that everyone expected us to finish in the top-eight but we have to take the opportunity in the extra matches of the group stage and prepare well for the knock-out matches,” he added.

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that recent performances had given his team the belief to respond well to the challenge.

“…I see no reason why we can’t go far in the tournament. There is still some time and we will use it to be at our best for the T20 World Cup.

“We won a T20 series against the West Indies, the world champions, in their backward not so long ago. That performance has given us a lot of belief in our Twenty20 capabilities,” he said.