ICC Announces fixtures for 2012 World Twenty20 Qualifier
 

Sixteen teams compete for two World T20 spots

Sixteen Associate and Affiliate teams will compete for two available spots in the 2012 World Twenty20 during a 72-match qualifying tournament in the UAE from March 13 to 24.

The teams are divided into two groups of eight with the top three in each group having a chance to win a place in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

The top two teams of each group will meet in the first qualifying final with the winner guaranteed a place at the World Twenty20. The loser of that match will play in the second qualifying final against the winner of a series of play-off matches. The winners of both qualifying finals will meet in the tournament final in Dubai.

The winner of the tournament will be pooled with Australia and West Indies in group B of the World Twenty20, while the other team will be in group A with defending champions England and 2007 winners India.

Afghanistan and Ireland made it from the qualifying tournament in 2010, with Afghanistan winning he competition by eight-wickets.

Group A
Afghanistan, Netherlands, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Bermuda, Denmark, Nepal.

Group B
Ireland, Kenya, Scotland, Namibia, Uganda, Oman, Italy, USA.


ICC World Twenty20 2012: Sixteen teams compete for two World Twenty20 spots | Cricket News | ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier | ESPN Cricinfo

When the process of 2012 World Twenty20 qualification was started at that time it was supposed to be 6 Associates / Affiliates for the World Twenty20, but ICC due to their ego hurt of reverting to 14 nation WC from 10 nation WC cut the World Twenty20 to 12 from 16 nations.

Now after 12 Tournaments held across the world it finally boils down to just 2 nations from 16 participating nations. A mock of whole affair:@

World governing body in incompetence shock.

Twenty20 WC is the perfect way to introduce more associates/affiliates, not less.

PNG for a few upsets and to make the final 6.

International Cricket Blog
A blog post of mine including a section on the subject.

Personally I think its ridiculous that the ICC has made the T20 WC so small. This is the format that we need to use to get more countries interested in cricket so as to build the sport - limiting the number of minnows to such an extent is just shocking.

Go PNG.