 Afghanistan took a step closer towards qualification for the ICC World T20 when
they entered the second round of the Qualifiers. And given that they did it by
winning all the three games they played in, they also carried forward a couple
of points to the stage which will see them play in two games. The other teams
which have entered the Super Fours are Ireland, UAE and Netherlands. This meant
that the more fancied sides like Kenya, Canada and Scotland fell by the wayside.
USA was the eighth team in the tournament, and they won one of the three games
that they played in. Group A consisted of Afghanistan, Ireland,
USA and Scotland. Afghanistan's toughest group match was also their first one
against Ireland given that Ireland is a top-ranked Associates side and gunning
for a Test status. However, they won that game, to ensure that even if they won
one out of the remaining two matches against Scotland or USA, they would qualify
for the Super Fours. As it turned out, they beat both, Scotland and USA
rather easily to go through to the next stage. In the other group, there
was more surprise in store. The group consisted of Netherlands, UAE, Kenya
and Canada. Kenya have featured in the first edition of the ICC World T20, and
given their background would have been favourites to move ahead. Canada too has
a good team, whereas Netherlands had stunned England in the last edition of the
ICC World T20. As it turned one, UAE took everyone by storm, took the home
advantage to the hilt and stormed into the second round by winning all the three
games; beating Kenya, Canada and Holland. The second berth from this group went
to Netherlands, who despite their loss to UAE, easily beat Canada and Holland. In
the second stage, the teams play two games each, against the sides which have
qualified from the other group. And they carry forward points from the 1st round
game against the side that had qualified from their own group. This will mean
that Afghanistan and UAE will start off with two points each, whereas the other
two countries, Ireland and the Dutch side will not have any points to their
name. There will be four matches played; Ireland will play Holland
and UAE, whereas Afghanistan will feature against UAE and Holland as well. Given
that there will be one winner between Afghanistan and UAE, the side which does
that will get to four points, while the side that loses between Ireland and Holland
will remain at 0. It also means that the winner of Afghan-UAE game will qualify
for the finals as will the winner of the game between the loser of Afghan-UAE
and the winner of Ireland-Netherlands. The two sides which make it to the finals
of this tournament will also qualify for the ICC World T20 tournament.
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