2024 Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off

2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off
Dates22 February – 3 March 2024
Administrator(s)International Cricket Council
Cricket formatList A
Tournament format(s)Round-robin
Host(s)Malaysia
Champions Kuwait (1st title)
Runners-up Italy
Participants8
Matches21
Player of the seriesBahrain Haider Butt
Most runsBahrain Haider Butt (340)
Most wicketsBahrain Rizwan Butt (15)
2031 →

The 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off was a cricket tournament that took place in Malaysia from February to March 2024, to decide the final four places in the next CWC Challenge League for the next World Cup cycle.

Kuwait and Tanzania were the first teams to secure a place in the Challenge League.[1] Bahrain also claimed a place,[2] followed by Italy.[3] Kuwait emerged as winners at the end of the tournament.[4]

Format

[edit]

The eight qualified teams were placed into two groups of four, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Six stage.[5][6] The best four sides emerging from the Challenge League Play-off competition qualified for the twelve-team World Cup Challenge League field for the next cycle.[7][8]

Qualification

[edit]

In the Challenge League Play-off, the bottom two teams from each of the two groups in the 2019–2022 Challenge League joined four others from outside the 32-team qualification process. These were the four nations with the highest Twenty20 International ranking meeting the following entry requirements:[9]

  1. They must've had a minimum of eight domestic teams playing regular cricket, including at least five 40+-over matches in each of the two previous years;
  2. They had to be in the top 40 of the ICC T20I Rankings as of 30 September 2023.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania qualified for the tournament after meeting the requirements.[10]

Method of qualification Date of qualification Venues Number of teams Teams
2019–2022 Challenge League
(Bottom 4)
16 September 2019 – 13 December 2022 Various
4
 Bermuda
 Italy
 Malaysia
 Vanuatu
ICC T20I Rankings
(Top 4 meeting requirements)
30 September 2023
4
 Bahrain
 Kuwait
 Saudi Arabia
 Tanzania
Total
8

Squads

[edit]
 Bahrain[11]  Bermuda[12]  Italy[13]  Kuwait[14]
 Malaysia[15]  Saudi Arabia[16]  Tanzania[17]  Vanuatu[18]
  • Hisham Sheikh (c)
  • Ishtiaq Ahmad
  • Manan Ali (wk)
  • Atif-Ur-Rehman
  • Haseeb Ghafoor (wk)
  • Usman Khalid
  • Faisal Khan
  • Usman Najeeb
  • Shahzaib
  • Kashif Siddique
  • Zain Ul Abidin
  • Waji Ul Hassan
  • Waqar Ul Hassan
  • Abdul Waheed
  • Imran Yousaf

Group stage

[edit]

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR Qualification
1  Kuwait 3 2 1 0 4 0.292 Advanced to the Super 6
2  Italy 3 2 1 0 4 0.574
3  Bermuda 3 1 2 0 2 −1.108
4  Saudi Arabia 3 1 2 0 2 0.298 Eliminated
Source: ESPNcricinfo[19]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Results of games between tied teams; 4) Net run rate[20]

22 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Italy 
305/8 (50 overs)
v
 Bermuda
148 (36.2 overs)
Marcus Campopiano 101 (117)
Kamau Leverock 5/58 (10 overs)
Terryn Fray 73 (99)
Rakibul Hasan 3/35 (9 overs)
Italy won by 157 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Viswanadan Kalidas (Mas) and Sarika Prasad (Sin)
Player of the match: Marcus Campopiano (Ita)
  • Bermuda won the toss and elected to field.
  • Allan Douglas, Chare Smith, Marcus Scotland (Ber), Fida Hussain and Stefano di Bartolomeo (Ita) all made their List A debuts.
  • Marcus Campopiano (Ita) scored his first century in List A cricket.[21]

22 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Saudi Arabia 
231 (49.1 overs)
v
 Kuwait
134 (35 overs)
Kashif Siddique 71 (94)
Mohamed Shafeeq 3/37 (6 overs)
Mohammed Aslam 57* (84)
Usman Najeeb 3/23 (7 overs)
Saudi Arabia won by 97 runs
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Prageeth Rambukwella (SL) and Ramasamy Venkatesh (HK)
Player of the match: Kashif Siddique (Sau)
  • Kuwait won the toss and elected to field.
  • Ilyas Ahmed, Clinto Anto, Meet Bhavsar, Adnan Idrees, Shiraz Khan, Usman Patel, Yasin Patel, Mohamed Shafeeq, Bilal Tahir (Kuw), Ishtiaq Ahmad, Manan Ali, Atif-Ur-Rehman, Faisal Khan, Usman Najeeb, Hisham Sheikh, Kashif Siddique, Zain Ul Abidin, Waji Ul Hassan, Waqar Ul Hassan and Abdul Waheed (Sau) all made their List A debuts.

23 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Italy 
284/7 (50 overs)
v
 Saudi Arabia
163/6 (37.4 overs)
Wayne Madsen 103 (92)
Usman Najeeb 2/40 (7 overs)
Hisham Sheikh 59* (101)
Stefano di Bartolomeo 3/30 (7 overs)
Italy won by 52 runs (DLS method)
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Akbar Ali (UAE) and Sanjay Gurung (Nep)
Player of the match: Wayne Madsen (Ita)
  • Saudi Arabia won the toss and elected to field.
  • No further play was possible due to rain.
  • Shahzaib (Sau) made his List A debut.

25 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bermuda 
227 (44.3 overs)
v
 Saudi Arabia
223 (49.4 overs)
Delray Rawlins 75 (95)
Zain Ul Abidin 3/27 (5.3 overs)
Hisham Sheikh 45 (78)
Dominic Sabir 3/33 (10 overs)
Bermuda won by 4 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Tabarak Dar (HK) and Dedunu Silva (SL)
Player of the match: Dominic Sabir (Ber)
  • Bermuda won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Usman Khalid and Imran Yousaf (Sau) both made their List A debuts.

25 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Kuwait 
216 (49.4 overs)
v
 Italy
86 (25 overs)
Mohammad Amin 61 (84)
Gareth Berg 3/36 (10 overs)
Grant Stewart 21 (11)
Yasin Patel 3/11 (7 overs)
Kuwait won by 130 runs
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Sanjay Gurung (Nep) and Viswanadan Kalidas (Mas)
Player of the match: Mohammad Amin (Kuw)
  • Kuwait won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Mohammad Amin and Shahrukh Quddus (Kuw) both made their List A debuts.

26 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bermuda 
226/9 (50 overs)
v
 Kuwait
229/5 (48 overs)
Terryn Fray 50 (86)
Sayed Monib 5/40 (10 overs)
Meet Bhavsar 101 (131)
Zeko Burgess 1/25 (6 overs)
Kuwait won by 5 wickets
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Viswanadan Kalidas (Mas) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
Player of the match: Meet Bhavsar (Kuw)
  • Bermuda won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Jarryd Richardson (Ber) and Ilyas Ahmed (Kuw) both made their List A debuts.
  • Sayed Monib (Kuw) took his first five-wicket haul in List A cricket.
  • Meet Bhavsar (Kuw) scored his first century in List A cricket.

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR Qualification
1  Tanzania 3 2 1 0 4 0.633 Advanced to the Super 6
2  Bahrain 3 2 1 0 4 0.713
3  Vanuatu 3 1 2 0 2 −0.791
4  Malaysia 3 1 2 0 2 −0.742 Eliminated
Source: ESPNcricinfo[19]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Results of games between tied teams; 4) Net run rate[20]

22 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bahrain 
266/7 (50 overs)
v
 Vanuatu
157 (48.1 overs)
Haider Butt 98 (105)
Nalin Nipiko 5/43 (9 overs)
Andrew Mansale 32 (30)
Ali Dawood 2/13 (8 overs)
Bahrain won by 109 runs
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Akbar Ali (UAE) and Tabarak Dar (HK)
Player of the match: Haider Butt (Bhr)
  • Vanuatu won the toss and elected to field.
  • Imran Anwar, Junaid Aziz, Shabaz Badar, Haider Butt, Rizwan Butt, Sachin Kumar, Prashant Kurup (Bhr) and Tim Cutler (Van) all made their List A debuts.

23 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Tanzania 
203 (48.2 overs)
v
 Vanuatu
126 (40.5 overs)
Akhil Anil 47 (61)
Patrick Matautaava 3/23 (8.2 overs)
Jarryd Allan 31 (30)
Kassim Nassoro 4/28 (8.5 overs)
Tanzania won by 77 runs
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Harikrishna Pillai (Oma) and Sarika Prasad (Sin)
Player of the match: Omary Kitunda (Tan)
  • Tanzania won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Akhil Anil, Laksh Bakrania, Mohamed Issa, Zamoyoni Jabeneke, Salum Jumbe, Ally Kimote, Omary Kitunda, Kassim Nassoro, Abhik Patwa, Ivan Selemani, SanjayKumar Thakor (Tan) all made their List A debuts.

23 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bahrain 
207/9 (50 overs)
v
 Malaysia
189 (49.1 overs)
Ahmer Bin Nisar 87* (85)
Khizar Hayat 3/20 (10 overs)
Sharvin Muniandy 46 (86)
Rizwan Butt 4/37 (9.1 overs)
Bahrain won by 18 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Prageeth Rambukwella (SL) and Dedunu Silva (SL)
Player of the match: Ahmer Bin Nisar (Bhr)
  • Bahrain won the toss and elected to bat.

25 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Tanzania 
247/9 (50 overs)
v
 Malaysia
249/9 (50 overs)
Mohamed Issa 43 (43)
Pavandeep Singh 3/32 (8 overs)
Ahmad Faiz 53 (74)
Salum Jumbe 3/66 (10 overs)
Malaysia won by 1 wicket
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Harikrishna Pillai (Oma) and Ramasamy Venkatesh (HK)
Player of the match: Ahmad Faiz (Mas)
  • Tanzania won the toss and elected to bat.

26 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Tanzania 
173 (38.3 overs)
v
 Bahrain
153 (48.2 overs)
Ivan Selemani 82 (70)
Ali Dawood 3/12 (5.3 overs)
Haider Butt 51 (92)
Ally Kimote 4/36 (10 overs)
Tanzania won by 20 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Akbar Ali (UAE) and Ramasamy Venkatesh (HK)
Player of the match: Ally Kimote (Tan)
  • Tanzania won the toss and elected to bat.

26 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Malaysia 
124 (38 overs)
v
 Vanuatu
125/7 (29 overs)
Aqeel Wahid 44 (79)
Joshua Rasu 4/31 (10 overs)
Andrew Mansale 29 (32)
Khizar Hayat 5/26 (9 overs)
Vanuatu won by 3 wickets
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Tabarak Dar (HK) and Sarika Prasad (Sin)
Player of the match: Joshua Rasu (Van)

Super 6

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR Qualification
1  Kuwait 5 5 0 0 10 2.215 Qualified for the 2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League
2  Italy 5 3 2 0 6 1.163
3  Bahrain 5 3 2 0 6 0.565
4  Tanzania 5 3 2 0 6 −0.356
5  Vanuatu 5 1 4 0 2 −1.999 Eliminated
6  Bermuda 5 0 5 0 0 −1.590
Source: ESPNcricinfo[19]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Results of games between tied teams; 4) Net run rate[20]

28 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Kuwait 
360/4 (50 overs)
v
 Vanuatu
132 (39.1 overs)
Meet Bhavsar 132 (139)
Williamsing Nalisa 2/45 (10 overs)
Ronald Tari 48 (71)
Sayed Monib 3/12 (4.1 overs)
Kuwait won by 228 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Sanjay Gurung (Nep) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
Player of the match: Meet Bhavsar (Kuw)
  • Kuwait won the toss and elected to bat.

28 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Italy 
218 (47.1 overs)
v
 Bahrain
222/5 (47.2 overs)
Gareth Berg 47 (39)
Rizwan Butt 4/20 (9 overs)
Haider Butt 99 (120)
Fida Hussain 2/27 (6 overs)
Bahrain won by 5 wickets
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Sarika Prasad (Sin) and Dedunu Silva (SL)
Player of the match: Haider Butt (Bhr)
  • Italy won the toss and elected to bat.

28 February 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Tanzania 
239 (46.3 overs)
v
 Bermuda
112 (34.3 overs)
Akhil Anil 68 (87)
Cejay Outerbridge 4/46 (9 overs)
Terryn Fray 67 (84)
Kassim Nassoro 4/7 (7.3 overs)
Tanzania won by 127 runs
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Akbar Ali (UAE) and Harikrishna Pillai (Oma)
Player of the match: Kassim Nassoro (Tan)
  • Tanzania won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Cejay Outerbridge and Jermal Proctor (Ber) both made their List A debuts.

1 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Vanuatu 
153 (47 overs)
v
 Bermuda
122 (24.5 overs)
Joshua Rasu 53 (95)
Derrick Brangman 2/21 (10 overs)
Delray Rawlins 31 (32)
Tim Cutler 4/35 (7.5 overs)
Vanuatu won by 31 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Tabarak Dar (HK) and Ramasamy Venkatesh (HK)
Player of the match: Joshua Rasu (Van)
  • Bermuda won the toss and elected to field.

1 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bahrain 
202 (49.4 overs)
v
 Kuwait
186/5 (40.3 overs)
Junaid Aziz 62 (128)
Shahrukh Quddus 4/30 (9 overs)
Meet Bhavsar 71 (92)
Rizwan Butt 2/44 (9 overs)
Kuwait won by 5 wickets (DLS method)
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Viswanadan Kalidas (Mas) and Harikrishna Pillai (Oma)
Player of the match: Mohammad Amin (Kuw)
  • Kuwait won the toss and elected to field.
  • Kuwait were set a revised target of 185 runs from 43 overs due to rain.

1 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Italy 
325/8 (50 overs)
v
 Tanzania
163 (32.5 overs)
Wayne Madsen 110 (71)
Johnson Nyambo 3/50 (7 overs)
Kassim Nassoro 50 (61)
Nicholas Maiolo 3/26 (10 overs)
Italy won by 162 runs
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Sanjay Gurung (Nep) and Dedunu Silva (SL)
Player of the match: Wayne Madsen (Ita)
  • Italy won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Johnson Nyambo and Yalinde Nkanya (Tan) both made their List A debuts.

3 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Kuwait 
296/9 (50 overs)
v
 Tanzania
145 (33.4 overs)
Mohammad Amin 73 (75)
Ally Kimote 3/70 (9 overs)
Salum Jumbe 51 (44)
Yasin Patel 4/51 (8.4 overs)
Kuwait won by 151 runs
Selangor Turf Club, Seri Kembangan
Umpires: Viswanadan Kalidas (Mas) and Sarika Prasad (Sin)
Player of the match: Mohammad Amin (Kuw)
  • Kuwait won the toss and elected to bat.

3 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Vanuatu 
102 (41.2 overs)
v
 Italy
105/8 (25.4 overs)
Patrick Matautaava 22 (43)
Nicholas Maiolo 2/16 (8 overs)
Nicholas Maiolo 23 (33)
Joshua Rasu 5/32 (10 overs)
Italy won by 2 wickets
UKM-YSD Cricket Oval, Bangi
Umpires: Akbar Ali (UAE) and Ramasamy Venkatesh (HK)
Player of the match: Joshua Rasu (Van)

3 March 2024
09:30
Scorecard
Bahrain 
238 (49.2 overs)
v
 Bermuda
131/8 (25 overs)
Prashant Kurup 79 (103)
Derrick Brangman 4/48 (9 overs)
Derrick Brangman 40* (42)
Abdul Majid 3/13 (5 overs)
Bahrain won by 30 runs (DLS method)
Bayuemas Oval, Pandamaran
Umpires: Tabarak Dar (HK) and Prageeth Rambukwella (SL)
  • Bahrain won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Bermuda were set a revised target of 162 runs from 25 overs due to rain.
  • Sathaiya Veerapathiran and Mohsin Zaki (Bhr) both made their List A debuts.

Final standings

[edit]
Pos. Teams Qualification
1  Kuwait
2  Italy
3  Bahrain
4  Tanzania
5  Vanuatu
6  Bermuda
7  Saudi Arabia
8  Malaysia

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Beswick, Daniel (29 February 2024). "Tanzania and Kuwait promoted to Challenge League spots after opening Super Six victories". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  2. ^ "The high-stakes Battle of Bangi ahead of Italy and Vanuatu as three others claim Challenge League tickets". Emerging Cricket. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  3. ^ Beswick, Daniel (3 March 2024). "Italy prevail in heart-stopping Battle of Bangi to re-claim Challenge League spot". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Kuwait crowned champions of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Playoff". The Times. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Challenge League Play-off Long Read: Eight-team tournament to decide Challenge League line-up for next Cricket World Cup cycle". Emerging Cricket. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Bermuda cricket team back in training ahead of Malaysia competition". The Royal Gazette. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Four Challenge League spots to be claimed via Malaysia Play-off on road to 2027". International Cricket Council. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  8. ^ de Jong, Bertus (16 August 2019). "Explainer: With 2023 Cricket World Cup qualifying process underway, here's a breakdown of ICC's new-look league structure". Firstpost. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  9. ^ "ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualification Pathway Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). International Cricket Council. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  10. ^ "ICC announce CWC Challenge League play-off tournament in 2023". Czarsportz. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Team Bahrain is READY to rock the ICC CWC Challenger League playoffs in Malaysia!". Cricket Bahrain. Retrieved 10 February 2024 – via Instagram.
  12. ^ "Kamau Leverock included in national squad after surprise U-turn". The Royal Gazette. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  13. ^ "La Nazionale Italiana in Malesia per I Playoff della Cricket World Cup Challenge League" [The Italian national team in Malaysia for the Cricket World Cup Challenge League Playoffs]. Italian Cricket Federation (in Italian). Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Kuwait National Men's team powered by Al Muzaini Exchange; led by Captain Mohammed Aslam set to depart for Malaysia to participate in the 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off 50 Overs Tournament". Kuwait Cricket. Retrieved 14 February 2024 – via Instagram.
  15. ^ "Meet Team Malaysia". Malaysian Cricket Association. Retrieved 21 February 2024 – via Facebook.
  16. ^ "The list of the Saudi national team participating in the Challenge League in the Qualifiers of the World Cup 2027, held in Malaysia!". Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation. Retrieved 22 February 2024 – via Facebook.
  17. ^ "Men National Team — The national team squad is all set to depart for Kenya tonight with a 10-day tour where they will play the Kenya XI side for five one-day games in Nairobi". Tanzania Cricket Association. Retrieved 4 February 2024 – via Instagram.
  18. ^ "Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu Men's Team Ready for ICC CWC Challenge League 2024 Playoff in Malaysia". Vanuatu Cricket. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  19. ^ a b c "CWC Play-off Points Table | CWC Play-off Standings | CWC Play-off Ranking". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Controversy and confusion at Challenge Play-off: Malaysia crash out despite dubious tactic". Cricbuzz. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Bermuda feel heat of Italian job". The Royal Gazette. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
[edit]