Pakistan qualify for T20 World Cup 2026 despite humiliating ouster from 2024 edition – Sport

Pakistan have managed to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup despite their dismal showing in the 2024 tournament, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Pakistan, the 2009 champions and runners-up in 2007 and 2022, made a swift exit after losing their first two matches from winnable positions.

A stunning super-over humiliation at the hands of the United States was followed by a six-run loss to bitter rivals India in a game where they failed to chase down a paltry 120-run target.

Subsequently, after rain distributed equal points in the match between Ireland and the USA, Pakistan were indirectly knocked out of a T20 World Cup tournament’s group stages for the first time in their history.

Amid sub-par performances at the tournament, talk of rifts within the camp surfaced, while Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief promised “major surgery” on the team after their exit was confirmed last week.

Today, the ICC turned its sight to the next edition of the tournament and said Sri Lanka and India take the first two spots for 2026.

“From there, the next 10 spots were determined by Super Eight qualifiers at the 2024 edition, and ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings at the 30 June cut-off date,” it said.

The ICC said Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies all secured their spots due to their “strong first round play and entry to the Super Eights”, along with the US.

“Despite missing out on the Super Eights, Babar Azam’s men meanwhile secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking (7th), alongside New Zealand (6th) and Ireland (11th),” the ICC added, rounding out those qualified.

It concluded that the final eight teams for the 2026 edition will be decided by regional qualifiers with the number of qualification spots per region to be confirmed.