The Cayman Islands men’s cricket team travelled to Bermuda on Wednesday, 27 Sept., for the T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier Regional Final – a tournament that could see Cayman advance to their first-ever World Cup.
“We have never gone to the World Cup and this is our best opportunity,” Cayman Cricket head coach Steve Gordon told the Compass.
Ahead of the regional final, Cayman had exceeded expectations at the Americas Sub-Regional World Cup Qualifier in March, where they defeated the Bahamas, Argentina and Panama to finish second in the standings – losing only to Bermuda.
While Cayman are underdogs heading into regional final, being held at White Hill Field, in Hog Bay, Bermuda, Gordon believes his team could pull it off and move on to the 2024 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup.
“I personally believe that this is our best chance to qualify for a World Cup,” Gordon said. “We are going into this competition with the thought of having the Cayman flag being [flown] at the next World Cup in 2024.”
Cay vs Pan: 30 Sept. 1pm
Can vs Cay: 1 Oct. 1pm
Ber vs Cay: 3 Oct. 1pm
Cay vs Can: 4 Oct. 8:30am
Ber vs Cay: 6 Oct. 8:30am
Cay vs Pan: 7 Oct. 9am
Qualifying for the T20 World Cup would mark a historic first for Cayman cricket, placing it among the nation’s greatest sporting accomplishments, next to sprinter Cydonie Mothersill becoming the first Caymanian to qualify for an Olympic final and swimmer Jordan Crooks becoming Cayman’s first world champion.
The high-stakes cricket tournament will feature Cayman going head to head with Panama, Bermuda and Canada – a team they lost to twice in the same qualifier in 2018. In that competition, Cayman lost six consecutive matches.
Gordon said anything is possible and his team is ready to shock the world.
“The team has prepared well,” he said, noting, however, that the recent heavy rains have hampered some of their training sessions.
“Outside of that, I think we are in a good space and I think our chances are as good as any team going into the final round of qualifiers.”
Cayman will begin competition on Saturday, 30 Sept. when it faces Panama – a team they were victorious against by 12 runs back in March.
Then the Cayman men will try their hand against heavy favourites Canada on 1 Oct., before playing Bermuda two days later.
Cayman will compete in six matches total – playing each team twice. The team with the most wins in this event will qualify for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
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