Eight Associate Nations will participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. Here’s an overview of their journeys to the tournament and key players to watch, starting with the T20 World Cup 2026:
Overview of Associate Teams
Italy
Italy will make their debut in this tournament. Their qualification journey began with European sub-regional qualifying, where they topped a group that included France, the Isle of Man, Luxembourg, and Turkey, ultimately defeating Romania at home.
The Italians secured their spot by winning a tense ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Regional Qualifier, narrowly defeating the Netherlands in the final. Wayne Madsen will captain the team, which includes JJ Smuts, who has played 19 times for South Africa. They will compete in Group C alongside England, Nepal, Scotland, and the West Indies.
Canada
Canada has previously participated in three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups and made their T20 World Cup debut in 2024, securing an impressive win over Ireland.
This time, they are placed in Group D with Afghanistan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UAE, having won all six matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Regional Qualifier. All-rounder Shivam Sharma took 11 wickets, making him a standout player, along with 22-year-old captain Dilpreet Bajwa. Head coach Ingleton Liburd stated that the team is focused and committed as they prepare for the tournament.
Namibia
Namibia will make their fourth consecutive appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after qualifying alongside Zimbabwe in Africa.
They won three group matches, with JJ Smit being a key player in the semi-final against Tanzania, scoring 61 not out and taking three wickets for 16 runs. Despite losing the final to Zimbabwe, their place was assured, with Gerhard Erasmus once again leading the team. Nine players from the previous squad return, including Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who took 10 wickets during the Qualifier.
Nepal
Nepal qualified for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by remaining undefeated in the Asia–EAP Regional Qualifier, beating Japan and Kuwait in the group stage and finishing first in the Super Six.
Nepal has a history of nail-biting matches, winning against the UAE by one run and Qatar by five runs in close encounters. Rohit Paudel will lead the team, assisted by vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee. This will be Nepal’s third appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and they aim to advance past the group stage for the first time.
Netherlands
The Netherlands secured their place alongside Italy in the European Regional Qualifier, winning three out of four matches to make their seventh appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
They have progressed beyond the group stage twice before and are captained by Scott Edwards for the third consecutive tournament. The Netherlands will compete in Group A with India, Pakistan, and the USA. Head coach Ryan Cook expressed confidence in their squad’s depth and adaptability, citing previous experience in similar conditions.
Oman
Oman secured their spot in their fourth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by finishing second behind Nepal in the Super Six stage of the Asia-EAP Regional Qualifier.
In that Qualifier, both Nadeem Khan and Jiten Ramanandi took 11 wickets. Jatinder Singh, Oman’s leading T20I run-scorer, will captain the team this time after missing the previous tournament. Jatinder expressed pride and excitement about participating in such a high-profile event. Oman is in Group B with Sri Lanka, Australia, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.
Scotland
Scotland is replacing Bangladesh as the highest-ranked team that had not yet qualified for the tournament.
Currently ranked 14th in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, they have the potential to compete effectively. This will be Scotland’s seventh appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Steve Snell, Cricket Scotland’s Head of Performance, indicated that the squad is well-prepared and excited despite their last-minute entry into the tournament.
UAE
The UAE is set for their third appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after finishing third behind Nepal and Oman in the Asia-EAP Regional Qualifier.
Captain Muhammad Waseem’s team narrowly missed the 2024 tournament but secured their spot this time by defeating Japan in their final qualifying match. Alishan Sharafu was the top run-scorer of the Qualifier, accumulating 283 runs at an average of 56.60 and a strike rate of 143.65.
USA
USA automatically qualified for the tournament due to their strong performances at the 2024 event held on home soil.
There, they recorded a historic win over Pakistan and advanced from the group stage to the Super 8s. Although they faced defeats from South Africa, West Indies, and England afterward, their initial performances gained significant attention. Head coach Pubudu Dassanayake stated that the squad is well-rounded and prepared to excel in every aspect of the game.
