With the T20 World Cup gearing up for its 2024 edition, an air of excitement and anticipation envelops the cricketing world as the tournament breaks new ground. Unlike previous editions, this year’s T20 World Cup will witness the participation of 20 teams, marking a historic expansion that promises more competitive cricket and greater global reach. The teams have been meticulously divided into four groups of five, setting the stage for a fierce battle as they vie for the top two spots in each group. Success in the group stage will lead them to the Super 8 round, from where teams can advance to the semi-finals, culminating in a grand finale scheduled for June 29.
Amidst this growth, three teams are particularly making headlines as they prepare to compete at the top level in the T20 World Cup for the first time. These debutant squads have fought hard to earn their spots and will now aim to make a significant impact on cricket’s shortest format. Let’s take a closer look at these teams and their respective journeys to the T20 World Cup 2024.
**1. Canada**
The Canada cricket team has had experiences in the ODI World Cup, but the 2024 T20 World Cup will mark their first foray into the highly competitive environment of T20 World Cup cricket. Canada earned their place by winning the Americas Region Final Tournament, where they outperformed teams like Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and Panama last year. The qualification process saw Canada finish atop the points table after each team played six matches. Despite tying with Bermuda at nine points, Canada clinched the spot thanks to a superior net run-rate of 4.073.
Entering the tournament, Canada is set to play the opening match against the host nation, USA, at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on June 2 at 6 AM IST (Indian Standard Time). The team will be led by the seasoned cricketer Saad Bin Zafar, who brings valuable experience and leadership to this historic campaign.
Canada’s squad for the T20 World Cup includes: Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Ravinderpal Singh, Navneet Dhaliwal, Kaleem Sana, Dilon Heyliger, Jeremy Gordon, Nikhil Dutta, Pargat Singh, Nicholas Kirton, Rayyankhan Pathan, Junaid Siddiqui, Dilpreet Bajwa, Shreyas Movva, Rishiv Joshi. The reserves are Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, and Parveen Kumar. Canada will compete in Group A alongside formidable teams like India, Pakistan, the USA, and Ireland.
**2. United States of America**
The USA cricket team is also making their maiden appearance in the T20 World Cup, gaining automatic qualification as the host nation.
. This spared them the trials of regional qualifiers. The USA’s entry adds excitement to the tournament, especially after their recent triumph in a three-match series against Bangladesh, which they won 2-1.
The USA team will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Canada in Dallas, with high hopes of leveraging their home-ground advantage. A notable figure in the USA squad is Corey Anderson, a former New Zealand international cricketer. Additionally, Harmeet Singh, who represented India in the U19 World Cup, will be part of the squad. Monank Patel, of Indian origin, has been entrusted with leading the side as the captain.
The USA squad for the tournament includes: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir. The reserve players for the USA are Gajanand Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, and Yasir Mohammad. The USA will compete in Group A with India, Pakistan, Canada, and Ireland, adding an extra layer of rivalry and competition to their matches.
**3. Uganda**
Uganda’s cricket team enters the T20 World Cup as another new participant, having qualified through the Africa Region Qualifier tournament held last year. Uganda’s remarkable journey saw them secure the second spot among seven teams, notably by defeating Zimbabwe, an outcome that dramatically altered the qualification landscape. Alongside Namibia, who have previously participated in the T20 World Cup, Uganda emerged as successful qualifiers from the African region.
Brian Masaba will have the honor of leading Uganda into their first-ever T20 World Cup match, facing Afghanistan on June 3 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. His leadership will be pivotal as Uganda looks to make their mark on the world stage.
Uganda’s squad for the tournament includes: Brian Masaba (c), Simon Ssesazi, Roger Mukasa, Cosmas Kyewuta, Dinesh Nakrani, Fred Achelam, Kenneth Waiswa, Alpesh Ramjani, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, Bilal Hassun, Robinson Obuya, Riazat Ali Shah, Juma Miyaji, Ronak Patel. The reserves are Innocent Mwebaze and Ronald Lutaaya. Uganda will compete in Group C, which features teams like Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan.
As these three debutant teams prepare to showcase their skills and determination on the global stage, the T20 World Cup 2024 promises to be a thrilling event, bringing together emerging cricketing nations and seasoned powerhouses. Fans around the world eagerly await to see how these newcomers will fare and what memorable moments they will create in their maiden T20 World Cup journeys.
