Nine Associate Teams Deliver Strong Performances in ICC T20 World Cup 2026

The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has witnessed a strong showing from Associate nations in its early stages, with all nine teams delivering competitive performances despite limited resources and exposure to top-tier cricket. Following the conclusion of the New Zealand–United Arab Emirates match in Chennai, every Associate side in the tournament has now played at least one game, collectively earning praise for pushing established cricketing powers to their limits.

The Netherlands emerged as one of the standout performers, nearly pulling off an upset against Pakistan in the tournament opener in Colombo. Their disciplined bowling attack made a modest target of 148 appear formidable, and a missed catch proved costly in a narrow defeat. The Scott Edwards-led side rebounded with a victory over Namibia, with Bas de Leede scoring an unbeaten 72 to guide his team home after the bowlers restricted Namibia to 156/8.

The United States and Nepal also impressed against heavyweight opponents. The USA stunned defending champions India by reducing them to 77/6, before captain Suryakumar Yadav rescued India with a decisive innings. Nepal came within four runs of chasing down England’s 184/7, with contributions from Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Lokesh Bam nearly scripting a memorable win against the former champions.

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Italy and Scotland provided a compelling European contest, marking Italy’s debut appearance at a Cricket World Cup. Despite losing captain Wayne Madsen to a dislocated shoulder early in the match against Scotland, Italy mounted a spirited chase of 208, highlighted by a half-century from Ben Manenti. Scotland, meanwhile, bounced back from an opening loss to the West Indies with a win over Italy, powered by George Munsey’s 84 and Michael Leask’s four-wicket haul.

Elsewhere, Oman, Canada, Namibia, and the UAE showed resilience despite facing stronger opposition. Canada’s Navneet Dhaliwal scored 64 against South Africa, while Ansh Patel claimed three wickets. Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton impressed with a steady 42 against the Netherlands. The UAE rounded off the Associate participation with a competitive 173/6 against New Zealand, thanks to half-centuries from Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu, though the target was chased down comfortably.

The early matches have underlined the narrowing gap between full-member and Associate nations. While wins have been limited, the intensity and quality displayed by these teams signal a broader global growth of the game, adding depth and unpredictability to the tournament.

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