Cricket Board of Maldives has stepped up preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028 Sub Regional Qualifier, with the national team departing for Sri Lanka for a nine-day training camp ahead of the tournament in Malaysia.
The final phase of preparation follows the national squad’s official jersey handover ceremony held at Henveiru on Friday, September 18, where the squad for the qualifier was confirmed.
The ceremony also recognised standout individual performances from the Maldives during the ACC Men’s Challenger Cup 2026 (50 Overs).
His Excellency Mohamed Rizvi Hassen, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the Maldives, presented performance bonuses to players who excelled during the tournament.
Ismail Ali was recognised for scoring 99 runs against Myanmar, while Ashan Yapa received recognition after scoring 50 runs in the same match.
Ibrahim Rizaan was honoured for taking three wickets against Myanmar, while Harsha Amarasinghe received special recognition for a series of outstanding bowling performances.
Amarasinghe took four wickets against Singapore, three wickets against Myanmar and seven wickets against Thailand during the competition.
The ceremony also marked the renewal of the National Team Attire Sponsorship Agreement between the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) and the Cricket Board of Maldives, with representatives of both organisations exchanging the renewed agreement.
Hassan Haziq to Captain Maldives
The Maldives squad will be led by Hassan Haziq, who has been appointed captain, with Yoosuf Azyan serving as vice-captain.
The remaining players in the squad are Ibrahim Rizaan, Ismail Ali, Mohamed Rishwan, Shafraz Jaleel, Mabsar Abdulla, Ismail Nazwan, Adam Nasif, Ahmed Ameel, Harsha Amarasinghe, Ashan Yapa, Sheraz Iqbal and Tharusha Kavinda.
The team will be supported by Team Physio Dhanushka Srimal, Team Manager Arif Riza, Assistant Coach Mohammad Javed and Head Coach Asadullah Khan.
Afghan coach Asadullah Khan will oversee the team during the Sri Lanka training camp.
Sri Lanka Camp to Focus on Natural Turf
The Maldives national team departed for Sri Lanka today for the nine-day training trip, which represents the final stage of preparation before the qualifier begins in Malaysia.
The training camp will continue until October 5 and has been arranged with the assistance and cooperation of Sri Lanka Cricket.
During the camp, the Maldives will play two friendly matches against Sri Lanka Cricket’s High Performance team, with both matches scheduled to take place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
The squad will also train on natural turf wickets throughout the camp.
The focus is to provide Maldivian players with additional match experience and preparation on natural turf before they compete in the qualifier in Malaysia.
Following the conclusion of the training camp, the team is scheduled to travel to Malaysia on October 5.
Maldives Drawn in Group B
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028 Sub Regional Qualifier will be played in Malaysia from October 6 to 15.
The tournament is divided into two groups, with Maldives placed in Group B alongside China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong China.
Group A
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
- Kuwait
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Qatar
- Thailand
Group B
- Maldives
- China
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Hong Kong China
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Regional Finals, making every group-stage match important in the race for qualification.
Maldives Qualifier Schedule
Maldives will begin its campaign against China on Thursday, October 8.
The team’s group-stage schedule is:
- October 8: Maldives vs China
- October 9: Maldives vs Singapore
- October 11: Maldives vs Malaysia
- October 12: Maldives vs Hong Kong China
- October 14: Maldives vs Saudi Arabia
