Guernsey eye 2024 T20 World Cup progression in Europe Qualifier

Guernsey are in 38th place in the ICC's T20 global rankings

Guernsey coach Lee Forshaw says he is "quietly confident" the island side can make the next stage of qualifying for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The Sarnians travel to Finland for the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier B tournament - their first ICC event since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

They face group games against Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Slovenia.

Should Guernsey top their pool they would meet the winners of the other group for the chance to progress.

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"The teams that we're playing against, really we should be one of the favourites," Forshaw told BBC Radio Guernsey.

"We are going out to win, we're above all of the other teams in terms of rankings."

Guernsey - who are 38th in the ICC's T20 rankings - are one of 10 teams competing, with the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Norway and Switzerland in the other group.

The winning side will move on to the European regional finals next year for one of two places at the 2024 T20 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies and United States.

"We've got the likes of Austria and Norway, who we beat in Spain not long ago, so we're quietly confident," he added.

Should Guernsey progress they would meet Channel Island rivals Jersey in the final round of qualifying.

Jersey finished seventh in the Global Qualifiers for the 2022 T20 World Cup on Sunday and have automatically qualified for the next stage.

Guernsey heavily lost all three of their T20 matches against their rivals in May, showing the 17-place gap between the sides in the rankings.

"This has been our focus for the last couple of years," added Forshaw.

"This is a chance to really push ahead in terms of our ranking position, but also the funding that comes off the back of that as well.

"It's a chance to show what we can do, but it's a chance that if we do well in this one then we'll take a step up and we could be playing the likes of Ireland, Scotland and Jersey in these tournaments come next year, and that would really provide a massive focus as well.

"It's a massive opportunity for us, and one we need to take seriously and really show what we can do."