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March 23rd, 2012

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Denmark have finished last in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers, a 16-team tournament in Dubai that finishes this weekend from which the top two teams qualify for cricket's Twenty20 World Cup later this year.

Heading into the tournament, expectations were low despite Denmark’s qualification for the tournament courtesy of winning the ICC European Division 1 title last July. Nevertheless, the young squad quickly made their mark, beating Bermuda in their opening game in the eight-team group.

Unfortunately, the six other members of the group weren’t as accommodating. In five of the games, Denmark managed to lose eight or more wickets as its batting order consistently failed to compile competitive totals.

It meant that Denmark finished bottom of the group, slipping below even Bermuda, and yesterday faced Oman in the 15th place playoff, the match to avoid the wooden spoon.

Heading into the encounter, Denmark were buoyed by an encouraging performance against Papua New Guinea on Tuesday in which bowler Aftab Ahmed took six wickets and brothers Michael and Martin Pedersen together scored 61 runs off 59 balls.

However, they could not contain Oman’s openers, who both smashed half-centuries in a run blitz, posting155-5. Denmark, in response, could only manage 138-6.

Given Denmark’s current standing in world cricket, the results are unsurprising. They currently play their cricket in World Cricket League Division 4, while three of their group opponents – Canada, the Netherlands, and Afghanistan – play in Division 1, and another two, PNG and Hong Kong, play in Division 2. 

But while Denmark failed to make an impression, Italy, the team they defeated in the ICC European Division 1 final last year, won three games to finish an impressive fifth in their group.