How Did Associate Teams Fared In The T20 World Cup?

T20 is an interesting format where any team can beat any team irrespective of the form or the historical record between the two teams, which is the reason why associates prefer to play this format and try to mix with the test-playing nations. 

The ICC tournaments are a stage for these teams to showcase their skills and talent to the world. 

Six associate nations qualified to play in the T20 World Cup 2021 - Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Namibia, Scotland, and Oman. PNG made their debut in T20 World Cup. Although they got knocked out in the first phase without winning any match, yet the experience and the boost they got was worth it. 

The first phase of the tournament was an interesting one. Scotland, in their first match of the tournament, defeated a test-playing nation - Bangladesh. It was an upset but it also had the butterfly effect on the rest of the tournament. 

Curtis Campher's four wickets in four balls against the Netherlands was the highlight of the tournament though, even if Ireland couldn't qualify for the next stage. 

Scotland went on to top group A and stormed into Group 1 which included India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan. From Group B, Namibia too entered this group after winning two out of three matches. 

Both the teams lost convincingly in the Super 12. Namibia won only one match that too against Scotland, who lost all the five matches. 

Scotland however gave a tough fight to New Zealand where they were chasing 173 and lost the match by 16 runs. For Namibia, David Wiese ended up being the sixth highest run-scorer of the T20 World Cup with 227 runs at an average of 45.4. 

The common thing between the associate teams was, they batted throughout the innings in the Super 12 stage and never got all out. The lack of experience was visible. 

However, it's exactly what they intended to gain through this tournament - experience.

Scotland played India for the first time ever after 2007, a gap of more than 14 years. They got thrashed by the India batters but they gained experience. 

"The only way we're going to improve is by getting games like this. Boys are still going to take something out of this," Scotland's captain Kyle Coetzer said after the match against India. 

With T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia less than 12 months away, it would be great to watch these teams back with the big boys, competing, and who knows they might punch above their weight and even go next level.