Despite their poor performance in the 2024 competition, Pakistan has managed to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Pakistan, the runner-ups in 2007 and 2022 as well as the 2009 champions, was eliminated early after losing their opening two games from positions where they should have won.
After being humiliated by the United States in a super-over match, they lost by six runs to India, their fiercest rivals, in a match where they were unable to reach a meager target of 120 runs.
Then, for the first time in their history, Pakistan was indirectly eliminated from a T20 World Cup event during the group stages after rain split the points equally between Ireland and the USA.
After the squad’s elimination from the competition was announced last week, the Pakistan Cricket Board president threatened “major surgery” on the team, sparking rumors of discord within the camp after lackluster performances.
The ICC announced today that Sri Lanka and India will occupy the top two slots in the tournament’s 2026 edition.
It stated, “After that, the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings at the 30 June cut-off date and Super Eight qualifiers at the 2024 edition determined the next 10 spots.”
Together with the US, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies all qualified for the Super Eights owing to their “strong first round play.”
The ICC said, “Babar Azam’s men secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking (7th), alongside New Zealand (6th) and Ireland (11th),” rounding out those qualified even though they missed the Super Eights.
It was determined that regional qualifiers would determine the final eight teams for the 2026 edition, with the number of qualification positions for each region to be verified.
