BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Bermuda maintained their 100 percent record at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Qualifier here on Saturday with a nine-wicket victory over the Bahamas.
Kamau Leverock … top-scored for Bermuda.But the real drama came in the second match where the Cayman Islands cemented the runners-up spot with their third win – a nervy three-wicket victory over hosts Argentina with one ball remaining.
The results left Panama, who completed their schedule on Thursday, as the third team from the five-team tournament to advance to the regional finals to be held in Bermuda in September.
Panama, Argentina and Bahamas all finished bottom after having each won one match but Panama went through by virtue of a superior net run rate over their two rivals.
The top three in Argentina will join Canada, with the winner of the Bermuda showdown clinching a qualification spot at next year’s T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by the West Indies and United States.
Bermuda opted to bowl for the first time in the tournament and reduced the Bahamas to 24 for seven after 10.1 overs at the Hurlingham Club Ground, slow left-arm bowler Derrick Brangman leading the way with four for 16.
Despite the clatter of wickets at the other end, opener Jonathan Barry stood firm, finishing on 30 not out from 51 balls, and he and number nine batsman Dwight Wheatley – the only other batsman to reach double figures with 16 – led a recovery to 73 for nine.
In reply, Bermuda took just 7.2 overs to knock off the runs despite losing Tre Manders for 13 as opener Kamau Leverock made an unbeaten 48 off 26 balls with two sixes and seven fours to end the tournament with 202 runs at an average of 67.33.
Such was Bermuda’s dominance, only five batsmen made it to the crease during the four matches and they lost only seven wickets in the entire competition.
Meanwhile, the Caymanians appeared to be coasting to victory over Argentina at the Belgrano Athletic Club Ground when they reached 91 for one from 13.2 overs, in pursuit of the hosts’ 125 for seven.
But wickets tumbled and it needed two no-balls from what would have been the final delivery of the match from Agustin Rivero to get over the line.
Opener Sacha de Alwis laid the Cayman foundation with 44 from 41 balls, with five fours and a six, while number three Paul Manning made 31, before he was second out after the pair added 75 for the second wicket.
De Alwis was run out five runs later and two further run-outs did not help the Cayman cause, but with seven needed off the final over Conroy Wright (four not out) and Troy Taylor (two not out) held their nerve to deny Argentina a trip to Bermuda.
Earlier, 44-year-old Alejandro Ferguson spearheaded Argentina’s innings after they won the toss, hitting six fours in his 50 at number three, Taylor leading the Cayman bowling with three for 22.
