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Signs of developing cricket’s greater expansion come with news that Kuwait will host the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 8 in December 2010. The World Cricket League structure sets the pathway for more countries to qualify for World Cup 2015. World Cup 2011 had five divisional qualifiers for global Associates and Affiliates to join the top-most teams.

Kuwait and Bhutan are the ACC participants in the eight-team event WCL 8 event, and have earned their places by virtue of being the two countries in the top ten of the senior 50-over tournament, the next ACC Trophy, scheduled for April 2010, that haven’t yet played in the World Cricket League.

Bhutan senior team in ACC Trophy Challenge, Chiangmai 2009

ACC Chief Executive said, “Kuwait fully deserves this honour. They have worked extremely hard on their grounds and facilities as well as their cricket. We’d like to congratulate them and wish them all the best in the hosting of this tournament.”

Bhutan and Kuwait will take on Gibraltar, Suriname and Vanuatu along with three other teams yet to be confirmed. Asia’s success on the field in recent World Cricket League events has been significant and substantial. Afghanistan rose from Division 5 to earn ODI status in the past two years, Oman and UAE reached the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier, Hong Kong gained promotion to Division 3, Bahrain won Division 7 in Guernsey, hosts Singapore won Division 6 and Nepal are looking to lever their home advantage in February’s Division 5 WCL to further prominence.