Ireland and Scotland qualify for 2026 women's T20 World Cup

Ireland and Scotland have become the third and fourth teams team to make the cut for the 2026 women's T20 World Cup from the qualifier in Nepal, joining Bangladesh and Netherlands in the marquee event to be played in England and Wales in June-July. With the qualification of these four teams, the line-up of 12 teams at the tournament is now complete.

The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup runs from June 12 to July 5, with England, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies the other eight teams in the tournament.

Playing Thailand on the last day of the qualifiers, Ireland batted first and scored 121 for 8. Not a massive total, but Thailand had topped the mark only twice before in the tournament. Sunday wasn't going to be the third time. In fact, Thailand had their worst day out with the bat in the tournament, collapsing for just 59 in 16.1 overs, giving Ireland a 62-run win.

After Gaby Lewis won the toss and batted, the Ireland top three of Amy Hunter (24 in 15 balls), Lewis (25 in 30), and Orla Prendergast (24 in 22) all got starts and Ireland were at a solid 71 by the end of the tenth over. But by the 12th over, all three experienced batters were gone, and Ireland had only two other batters getting into double-digits - Louise Little, who scored 14 in 18 balls from No. 7, and Jane Maguire, who got 15 not out in 12 balls from No. 9.

Legspinner Suleeporn Laomi took 4 for 24 for Thailand.

The 121 proved well beyond Thailand on the day. It was a series of single-digit scores for them, broken up only by the wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai and captain Naruemol Chaiwai, who scored 15 and 22 respectively and added 26 for the third wicket. There was next to nothing before and after them.

Arlene Kelly's medium pace earned her 4 for 7 from four overs, while offspinner Lara McBride took 3 for 6, finishing the game in her fourth over.

In the last game of the qualifier, Scotland beat USA by 41 runs to seal their spot at the women's T20 World Cup.

Batting first in Kirtipur, Scotland made 178 for 8, with opener Darcey Carter top scoring with 52 off 34 balls. They got off to a cracking start, with the opening partnership adding 42 in three overs before two wickets fell off successive balls. Scotland kept up the momentum though, with Alisa Lister scoring 43 off 32 in the middle order and Priyanaz Chatterji making 39 off 28 at No. 7. Fast bowler Tara Norris took 4 for 34 for USA, while Maahi Madhavan took 2 for 23.

USA lost Disha Dhingra off the second ball of the chase of 179, but were steadied by a half-century stand for the second wicket between Chetna Pagydyala and Ella Claridge. However, they lost both set batters in the ninth and tenth overs and could not recover, eventually collapsing for 137 in 19 overs. Katherine Bryce, Chatterji and Chloe Abel took two wickets apiece for Scotland.