The road to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 just got more intense. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially announced the group division for the Asia and East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifier, to be held from October 8 to 17, 2025, in Oman.
A total of nine teams will compete for three coveted spots at next year’s T20 World Cup, to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka.
📋 Group Division Confirmed
According to the ICC announcement, the teams are split as follows:
🧾 Group A
- UAE
- Malaysia
- Qatar
🧾 Group B
- Nepal
- Kuwait
- Japan
🧾 Group C
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea (PNG)
- Samoa
Each group will play a round-robin stage from October 8 to 10. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six stage, to be held from October 12 to 17. At the end of that stage, the top three teams will officially qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
🇳🇵 Nepal’s Campaign: A New Era Under Stuart Law
Nepal enters this qualifier under new leadership. Stuart Law, the former Australian batter and seasoned international coach, was appointed as head coach of Nepal’s men’s team in March 2025, replacing Monty Desai.
Law brings with him experience from stints with West Indies, Bangladesh, and USA. His appointment has been hailed as a major step forward by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) as the country aims to re-establish itself as a T20 force.
“I’m excited to guide this passionate cricketing nation to new heights,” Law said during his unveiling.
“This qualifier is a huge opportunity.”
🔍 Group B Breakdown: Nepal, Kuwait, Japan
This group is one of the most anticipated. Here’s what to expect:
- Nepal: A rising cricketing nation with growing fan support and depth in talent. Players like Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, and Sandeep Lamichhane can turn games single-handedly.
- Kuwait: A dark horse with solid domestic development. They’ve shown promise in recent ACC tournaments.
- Japan: The most improved East Asia-Pacific side, backed by youth development and ICC investment. Their T20 structure is rapidly maturing.
CricGend Prediction:
- Nepal
- Japan
🔮 Super Six Prediction & World Cup Qualification
Once six teams move into the Super Six, they’ll face off across groups. Based on recent performances, squad strength, and home advantage, here’s how the Super Six could shape up:
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Nepal | Well-balanced squad, international coaching, explosive top order |
| 2️⃣ | UAE | T20 veterans, powerful batting unit |
| 3️⃣ | Oman | Home advantage, experienced bowling |
| 4️⃣ | PNG | Strong in patches but inconsistent |
| 5️⃣ | Japan | Developing fast, but not enough firepower yet |
| 6️⃣ | Malaysia | Competitive, but lacks finishing strength |
✅ Predicted Qualifiers for ICC T20 World Cup 2026:
- Nepal 🇳🇵
- UAE 🇦🇪
- Oman 🇴🇲
🔥 Players to Watch
- Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal) – A powerful all-rounder who thrives in high-pressure moments.
- Vriitya Aravind (UAE) – Consistent run-getter at the top.
- Aqib Ilyas (Oman) – All-rounder with match-winning capabilities, especially at home.
- Assad Vala (PNG) – Veteran leader with game sense and grit.
- Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (Japan) – Intelligent captaincy and reliable middle-order bat.
- Syed Aziz (Malaysia) – Hard-hitting opener who can give rapid starts.
🌍 Women’s EAP Qualifier Also Announced
In related news, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier will take place from September 9–15 in Suva, Fiji. Eight teams, including Papua New Guinea, Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, will compete for a spot in the Global Qualifier.
🏁 Final Thoughts: The Stage Is Set
With Nepal drawn alongside Kuwait and Japan, and heavyweights like UAE and Oman also in the mix, the Asia-EAP Qualifier in Oman promises to be a fierce contest. For cricket fans in Asia and the Pacific, October will be a month of passion, upsets, and glory.
👉 Stay tuned to CricGend.com for exclusive previews, live match updates, player interviews, and Super Six coverage as the T20 World Cup 2026 dream inches closer!