New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS): Guernsey beat Denmark by six wickets to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C at King George V Sports Ground in Castel. The win means Guernsey will join Italy, Jersey, Netherlands and Scotland in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier happening next year.
From that event, two teams will advance to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, to be played in India and Sri Lanka respectively. Asked to bat first, Denmark posted a competitive 158/7, with Nicolaj Laegsgaard top-scoring with 62 runs off 35 balls, laced with six sixes and two boundaries.
For Guernsey, Charlie Forshaw (2-35) and Martin-Dale Bradley (2-35) were the main wicket-takers, accounting for most of the top and middle-order batters of Denmark, with Bradley getting the all-important scalp of Laegsgaard at the end of the 18th over.
In reply, Guernsey reached their target with eight balls to spare thanks to Player of the Match, Matthew Stokes’ half-century (67 runs off 44 balls) after Josh Butler (43 runs off 29 balls) gave a flying start at the top, while captain Ollie Nightingale made 23 off 18 balls in his team’s superb victory.
"We're pleased with how we have performed as a team during this event. To bounce back from the earlier defeat in the group stage showed great character, and in the final, we stuck to our game plan to knock off the runs quite comfortably," said Andy Wright, ICC Regional Development Manager – Europe.
“Looking ahead to next year's Europe Qualifier, we know we will be coming up against tougher opposition and a higher standard of cricket than we are used to, but we have a winter of training ahead, and we'll see what we can do next summer," said Nightingale," he added.
For the third-place playoff, Spain beat Finland by 56 runs to end their tournament on a high. Denmark’s Hamid Shah received the Player of the Tournament award after scoring 272 runs in four innings.
"Congratulations to Guernsey Cricket, both for qualifying for the 2025 Europe Qualifier and on hosting such a great event this week. This tournament was one of the most competitive we have witnessed at this level, with all 10 teams displaying some excellent cricket.
“The final between Guernsey and Denmark was a fitting end to a wonderful summer of Men’s Sub-Regional Qualification and a great advert for European cricket to those watching around the world," he said.