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Kuwait to host ICC WCL Division 8

The ICC Development Committee has confirmed that the ICC World Cricket League Division 8 will take place in Kuwait.

For the tournament to be held in late 2010, the eight teams will be split into two groups of four, with the finalists gaining promotion to Division 7. Incidentally, the tournament will also be a qualification pathway to the 2015 World Cup.

In addition to Suriname and Gibraltar, the two relegated sides from the World Cricket League Division 7 tournament played in May 2009 in Guernsey, all regions will be represented by one additional team, apart from Asia, who have been allocated two berths based on the strength of the teams' performances in recent ICC World Cricket League events.

The ICC East Asia-Pacific region has already completed its qualifying tournament for the event the ICC EAP Trophy - with Vanuatu being the top-ranked team outside the World Cricket League rankings, and they will be represent the region in Kuwait.

There are only two Asian countries - Kuwait and Bhutan - participating in the ACC Trophy Elite, who are already part of the ICC World Cricket League structure, and they will be Asia s representatives at the event.

The other qualifying sides will be determined according to the results of the ICC Africa Division 2, the ICC Americas Division 2 and the ICC European Division 2 tournaments, all of which will be held in the first half of 2010.

Kuwait currently has four turf grounds and has successfully hosted a number of ACC tournaments, including the ACC Under-19 Trophy Elite earlier this year.