The T20 World Cup is coming up, and there is a qualifying round ahead of the super 12s. While some high-profile teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be a part of the first round, some other exciting teams will look at it.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a side that has been a part of global events for a while. They’ve had their share of highs over the years. They beat England in the 2009 T20 World Cup, in a last-ball thriller, and got the better of England again in 2014. They have the knack of winning big sides and have a good rivalry against Ireland’s former associates. One fixture that is quite famous between the two sides is the 2014 T20 World Cup match. In the game, Netherlands chased down 190 in fourteen overs and shattered powerplay records.

Having participated in 2016, Netherlands secured a place in the World Cup qualifiers. They won five out of six league games and one tournament to seal their place in the first round. The Netherlands has two tough match-ups against Sri Lanka and Ireland in the first round. If they can get past one of them, they should make it for the next game.

Players to Watch out for

Ryan Ten Doeschate

The man with the highest ODI average is in for his final tournament. He is retiring at the end of the year but is still in some beautiful form. Ten Doeschate was among the top scorers in the qualifying tournament and topped Essex’s run charts in the T20 Blast.

Roelof Van Der Merwe

Van Der Merwe is a T20 veteran. He has played in various parts of the World and has immense experience in the shorter format. He is a handy left-arm spinner and big hitter with the bat. His form in the recent T20 Blast has been good, and Van Der Merwe is gearing up for his fourth World Cup.

Paul Van Meekeren

Van Meekeran is a tall fast bowler and can bowl 140 plus. His height makes him intimidating, and he also has a good slower ball. He is in good form after a good CPL and will be hoping to make an impression.

Namibia

After an unbeaten run in the African Regional Finals, Namibia earned a spot in the T20 World Cup qualifiers. They then went on to win five games in a row to seal a place in the first round. The side is putting some effort, and there has been growth in the nation. The side recently achieved ODI status, and they have also taken part in the 2003 World Cup.

Namibia is in a tough group, and qualification to the next round seems a little complicated. They have Sri Lanka, Netherlands, and Ireland in their group. In the qualifiers, they lost heavily to the Netherlands and Ireland, and Sri Lanka will also be a tough match-up. Unless they manage to pull off a couple of upsets, it will be challenging to go to the Super 12s.

Players to Watch out for

David Wiese

David Wiese is a former South African player who signed a Kolpak deal and went on to play county Cricket. He has also played for RCB in the IPL and is a regular member in T20 leagues around the World. He is a good all-rounder and has some beautiful performances. A good spell or innings from him could help Namibia pull off an upset.

JJ Smit

JJ Smit is a handy finisher and death bowler. He doesn’t have a lot of paces, but can bowl accurate Yorkers. He is a powerful striker of the ball, and he could help Namibia put up challenging scores.

Scotland

Scotland had a good record in T20 Cricket up until 2019. Following the qualifier tournament, they didn’t go as well. They struggled initially in the qualifiers but managed to grab a spot in the first round of the game.

The 2021 World Cup will be their second in a row, after qualifying in 2016 for thee T20 World Cup. They failed to qualify in the three tournaments before that but have now managed to qualify twice in a row. They have some excellent results behind them and have also beaten England once in 2018 in a one-off ODI.

They have a good chance of qualifying for the Super 12s. With Bangladesh as the only tough side, Scotland can beat Oman and Papa New Guinea to seal a spot in the Super 12s of the T20 World Cup.

Players to Watch out for

Kyle Coetzer 

The 37-year-old skipper comes into the tournament with a lot of experience. He has seen the variations in Scotland’s cricket history and will hope to influence their future as a Cricketing nation with a strong show in the T20 World Cup.

Safyaan Sharif

Sharif has grown into the leader of the Scottish pace attack in recent times. He was the top-wicket taker in the 2019 Qualifiers and is in good form after a strong against Zimbabwe.

Papa New Guinea

Papa New Guinea has had its share of heartbreaks in its limited Cricketing history. They came close to qualifying in 2013 and 2015 but couldn’t get over the line in both years. They have now managed to make it to the first round of the T20 World Cup with some impressive performances.

They managed to beat the Netherlands in the qualifying tournament, which is high for the nation. PNG’s progression in the game is tough to predict. They are in dismal form in one-day Cricket but have been doing well in the shorter format. They have a tough group with Bangladesh and Scotland ahead of them. If they manage to beat either of the sides, they could sneak into the Super 12s.

Players to Watch out for

Assad Vala

PNGs captain is a towering figure who is full of talent. He hits big sixes and is a handy bowler against left-handers. His aggression could be handy on the slow UAE surfaces for the T20 World Cup.

Norman Vanua

Vanua started the qualifying tournament well with a hat-trick against Bermuda. He has a handy yorker and is an effective batter. He has been used as a floater in the line-up, being brought in to accelerate the scoring.

Oman

Oman is one of the hosts in the tournament and is looking at the tournament with some seriousness. They are eager to mark the tournament and called the Mumbai Cricket team for a few warm-up fixtures. They came into the 2019 T20 World Cup qualifier as favorites and almost made it to the next round. A win against Hong Kong, though, helped them clinch a spot in the tournament.

A high for them is their victory over Ireland in the 2016 T20 World Cup. The win helped them grow and earn ODI status in 2019.

Oman is one of the tournament hosts, which could be a slight advantage for them. They are a stronger side than before, and with two teams advancing to the next round of the T20 World Cup, they could make some noise in the first round.

Players to Watch out for

Naseem Khushi

The 39-year-old batter is an explosive hitter. He can clear the boundary with ease and handles pressure well. His role in Oman’s victory against Hong Kong was crucial in deflating their opponents. He comes in to bat late but can tee off with ease.

Bilal Khan

Khan is Oman’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is. His left-arm angle brings variety to the table. He has a decent pace and can swing the ball well. He looked good in the qualifiers and can make a statement in the T20 World Cup.