The Black Caps and White Ferns look set to face qualification tournaments for the Los Angeles Olympics with the ICC planning to approve a continental qualification system, putting both New Zealand teams on the outer.
Cricinfo reports the ICC is likely to confirm a continental qualification system which will bebased on current T20 world rankings, with Australia in line to grab the men’s and women’s automatic spots for the Oceania region.
A continental qualification system fits with the Olympic ethos of a global tournament, but the likes of New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are punished for being from stronger cricketing regions. Under a continental qualification system, a side could be ranked No 2 in the world and still miss out on an automatic spot.
Despite both being currently ranked fourth in the world T20 rankings, the Black Caps and White Ferns – who are also the reigning T20 World Cup champions – would need to earn a spot at the Los Angeles Olympics through a likely qualification tournament.
Six teams each in the men’s and women’s categories will contest for Olympic medals in both men’s and women’s competitions.
Daryl Mitchell in T20 action for the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
It’s unclear when the ranking cutoff will be, with men’s and women’s T20 World Cups to take place before the Games; on current current world T20 rankings, India would qualify from Asia, Australia from Oceania, Great Britain from Europe and South Africa from Africa.
Hosts USA could earn an automatic spot despite the men’s team being ranked 17th in the world and the women’s team 25th, behind Rwanda, Italy, Nepal and Tanzania.
Another question is how to deal with the West Indies, with the Caribbean islands having competed separately at previous Olympics.
