2024–2026 Cricket World Cup Challenge League

The 2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League[1] is the second edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League and a cricket tournament which forms part of the 2027 Cricket World Cup qualification process.[2]

2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League
Dates25 September 2024 – 2026
AdministratorInternational Cricket Council
Cricket formatList A
Tournament formatRound-robin
Hosts
League A
League B
Participants12
Matches90

Teams and qualification

edit
Qualification Pathway for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

The league features twelve teams: those finishing 2nd–4th in their respective league in the 2019–2022 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League, the top four finishers from 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off[3] and two teams from the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off.[4][5]

That tournament saw Canada, winner of League A in the previous Challenge League being promoted to League 2 status, while Papua New Guinea was relegated. The other Challenge League winner, Jersey, was not successful in obtaining promotion. The top 2 teams from both groups A and B will secure a spot at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.[6]

Method of qualificationDate of qualificationVenuesNumber of teamsTeams
2023 Qualifier Play-off26 March – 5 April 2023Namibia
2
 Jersey
 Papua New Guinea
2019–2022 Challenge League16 September 2019 – 13 December 2022Various
6
 Denmark
 Hong Kong
 Kenya
 Qatar
 Singapore
 Uganda
2024 Challenge League Play-off22 February – 3 March 2024Malaysia
4
 Bahrain
 Italy
 Kuwait
 Tanzania
Total12

Fixtures

edit

Each group is scheduled to play three times in a single round-robin tournament format, once each year from 2024 to 2026. This amounts to 15 matches per team and a total of 90 matches.[7]

League Date Location
A 25 September – 5 October 2024 Kenya
B 6–16 November 2024 Uganda
B 6–16 February 2025 Hong Kong
A 21–31 August 2025 Jersey
A 2026 Qatar
B August – September 2026 Tanzania

Points table

edit

League A

edit
Pos Team Pld W L T NR Pts NRR Qualification
1  Jersey 10 8 1 1 0 17 2.050 Advance to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off
2  Kuwait 10 6 2 1 1 14 0.108
3  Papua New Guinea 10 4 4 0 2 10 −0.131
4  Denmark 10 4 5 0 1 9 −0.368
5  Kenya 10 2 6 0 2 6 −0.886 Relegate to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off
6  Qatar 10 1 7 0 2 4 −1.455
Updated to match(es) played on 31 August 2025. Source: ESPNcricinfo[8]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Net run rate; 4) Results of games between tied teams

League B

edit
Pos Team Pld W L NR Pts NRR Qualification
1  Uganda 10 8 0 2 18 2.005 Advance to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off
2  Italy 10 7 1 2 16 2.905
3  Hong Kong 10 5 3 2 12 −0.436
4  Bahrain 10 4 5 1 9 −0.325
5  Tanzania (E) 10 1 7 2 4 −1.549 Relegate to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off
6  Singapore (E) 10 0 9 1 1 −2.204
Updated to match(es) played on 16 February 2025. Source: ESPNcricinfo[9]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Wins; 3) Net run rate; 4) Results of games between tied teams
(E) Eliminated

Statistics

edit

League A

edit

Most runs

edit
  • Source: ESPNcricinfo[10]
  • Last updated: 31 August 2025
Most runs scored by a batter
Runs Player Inns. HS Ave SR 100s 50s 4s 6s
442 Kenya Rakep Patel99163.1482.15053710
435 Denmark Saif Ahmad1014043.5094.56212526
380 Qatar Imal Liyanage10107*47.5080.8513435
373 Jersey Zak Tribe910074.60108.74123210
373 Jersey Josh Lawrenson913941.4474.8911402

Most wickets

edit
  • Source: ESPNcricinfo[11]
  • Last updated: 31 August 2025
Most wickets taken by a bowler
Wkts. Player Inns. Ov. BBI Ave SR Eco. 4WI 5WI
23 Papua New Guinea Kabua Morea1080.45/2916.9521.044.8311
22 Jersey Josh Lawrenson967.05/2910.9018.273.5821
19 Jersey Nick Greenwood859.35/3812.2618.783.9101
18 Kuwait Yasin Patel976.05/4818.1125.334.2801
16 Papua New Guinea Alei Nao965.04/1717.6224.374.3320
Denmark Saif Ahmad1078.55/3823.1829.564.7011

League B

edit

Most runs

edit
  • Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
  • Last updated: 18 February 2025
Most runs scored by a batter
Runs Player Inns. HS Ave SR 100s 50s 4s 6s
379 Hong Kong Anshuman Rath990*47.3772.6003392
374 Uganda Riazat Ali Shah810453.42 105.94122418
354 Uganda Raghav Dhawan88550.57 74.6804327
329 Italy Marcus Campopiano86254.8389.15023111
274 Bahrain Sohail Ahmed970*45.6662.84021911

Most wickets

edit
  • Source: ESPNcricinfo[13]
  • Last updated: 18 February 2025
Most wickets taken by a bowler
Wkts. Player Inns. Ov. BBI Ave SR Eco. 4WI 5WI
18 Hong Kong Yasim Murtaza861.54/1712.1620.613.5420
Uganda Juma Miyagi966.16/1714.3822.053.9111
16 Uganda Henry Ssenyondo755.54/289.2520.932.6520
15 Italy Crishan Kalugamage858.33/1716.4623.404.2200
14 Italy Gareth Berg752.03/1212.4222.283.3400
Uganda Alpesh Ramjani96.155/6915.7826.503.5711

References

edit
  1. "CWC League 2 and Challenge League cycle to continue for 2027 world cup qualification". Czarsportz. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  2. "Details of 2027 World Cup Qualification pathway revealed". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. "ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualification Pathway Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). International Cricket Council. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  4. "Everything you need to know about the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. "Race for League 2 top three set for thrilling climax after Nepal tri-series clean sweep". Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  6. "Groups announced for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Challenge League". International Cricket Council. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  7. "Cricket Kenya to host first round of CWC Challenge League group in September 2024". Czarsportz Global. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  8. "Challenge League A 2024 - Points Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  9. "Challenge League B 2024 - Points Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. "Records / CWC Challenge League Group A 2024-2026 / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  11. "Records / CWC Challenge League Group A 2024-2026 / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  12. "Records / CWC Challenge League Group B 2024-2026 / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  13. "Records / CWC Challenge League Group B 2024-2026 / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 January 2025.