Central Europe Cup

Central Europe Cup
AdministratorCzech Cricket Union
FormatTwenty20 (since 2019)
First edition2014
Latest edition2023
Current champion Czech Republic (4th title)
Most successful Czech Republic (4 titles)

The Central Europe Cup is an international cricket tournament played annually in Prague, Czech Republic, between invited teams from across central Europe. Organized by the Czech Cricket Union, and played at the Vinoř Cricket Ground, the tournament was first held in 2014 as a 50-over tournament and retained this format until it was changed to Twenty20 in 2019.[1][2]

Poland won the inaugural event in 2014, finishing ahead of Switzerland on the basis of their head-to-head record after the two teams ended the tournament level on points.[3] The Poles retained the title in 2015.[4] The 2016 tournament featured only three teams, with Poland not featuring, and was won by the hosts for the first time.[5] Poland returned in 2017 and won the tournament for a third time.[6] Switzerland claimed the title in 2018 winning all three of their matches.[7]

The Czechs won the 2019 edition, defeating Hungary in the final.[8][9] The 2020 edition was scheduled to take place in September and would have been the first to have official Twenty20 International (T20I) status since the International Cricket Council granted this status to all eligible matches played between its Members from January 2019.[10][11] The 2020 edition would also have included more teams that previous editions, with six national teams taking part – Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, and the hosts Czech Republic.[1] However, the tournament was cancelled on 14 September 2020 due to a worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.[12][13]

The 2021 edition was played in Prague between 21 and 23 May 2021.[14] The participating teams were the hosts Czech Republic, along with Austria and Luxembourg.[15] Malta were also due to take part, but were forced to withdraw due to COVID-19 restrictions.[16] This was the seventh edition of the Central Europe Cup[17] and the first to have T20I status. Austria won the tournament for the first time.[18]

  1. ^ a b "Central Europe Cup". Czech Cricket. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Czech Republic announces Central European Cup". Emerging Cricket. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Poland win Central Europe Cup". Cricket Europe. 8 September 2014. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Poland retain Central Europe Cup title". Cricket Europe. 29 June 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Tri-nation ODI report". Cricket Switzerland. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Central European 4-nation ODI series". Cricket Switzerland. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Central European ODI series update". Cricket Switzerland. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Central Europe Cup 2019". Hungarian Cricket Association. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "4-nation T20 tournament report". Cricket Switzerland. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  10. ^ "All T20 matches between ICC members to get international status". International Cricket Council. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Central European Cup set for late September". Cricket Europe. 3 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Central European Cup Cancelled due to Prague Covid-19 flare-up". Emerging Cricket. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Central Europe Cup cancelled". CricketEurope. 5 September 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Central European Cup announced for 2021". Emerging Cricket. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Central Europe Cup squads announced". Emerging Cricket. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Malta withdraw from Central Europe Cup". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Central Europe Cup". Czech Cricket Union. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Austria lift cup on final day". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.