CAC Championships 2026 (Mexico T20I Tri-Series)
Venue: Reforma Athletic Club, Naucalpan, Mexico City
Date & Time: April 4, 2026 — 8:30 PM IST | 3:00 PM GMT | 9:00 AM Local
Series Overview — What’s at Stake
The 2026 Central American Cricket Championship (CACC) — the 11th edition of this tournament — is hosted by Cricket Mexico at the Reforma Athletic Club in Naucalpan, Mexico City (April 2-5, 2026).
Three nations compete: Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica. This is the second meeting between Costa Rica and Brazil — the first came in M3 of the series, a result that completely overturned pre-series expectations.
Tournament Results So Far
| Match | Teams | Result | POTM |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 (Apr 2) | Mexico vs Brazil | Mexico won by 23 runs | Amir Butt (MEX) |
| M2 (Apr 3 AM) | Mexico vs Costa Rica | Mexico won by 124 runs | Dhananjaya Panda (MEX) |
| M3 (Apr 3 PM) | Brazil vs Costa Rica | Brazil won by 10 wickets | Luis Morais (BRA) |
| M4 (Apr 4 AM) | Mexico vs Brazil | Mexico won by 16 runs | — |
| M5 (Apr 4 PM) | Costa Rica vs Brazil | TODAY | — |
| M6 (Apr 5) | Mexico vs Costa Rica | — | — |
Tournament Standings Before M5
| Team | P | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Brazil | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Mexico have already won the tournament — 3 wins from 3, unbeatable even if they lose M6. This M5 match is therefore the secondary title fight: Can Brazil secure 2nd place by beating Costa Rica? Or can Costa Rica secure a consolation win in their final match tomorrow (M6)?
Costa Rica — Team Analysis
Captain: Sachin Ravikumar
Squad: Sachin Ravikumar (c), Joel Cutinho, Badri Narayanan, Sudesh Pillai, Sham Murari, Pushkaraj Naringrekar, Suyog Wankhade, Amresh Tangella, Ashar Abbas, Shivam Kumar, Shiva K, Imran Kaneez, Yeudy Orozco, Sam Arthur and Joseph Ramkellawan
Costa Rica’s tournament: Difficult. They were demolished by Mexico (124-run loss) and then humiliated by Brazil in M3, who chased down their total (64/10 all out!) with 10 wickets — 66/0 in just 6.1 overs. Their batting has been catastrophically poor.
Costa Rica Men’s cricket background: Costa Rica’s cricket program is driven primarily by the Indo-Caribbean and South Asian diaspora communities in San José. The squad’s names — Sachin Ravikumar, Joel Cutinho, Badri Narayanan — reflect the eclectic mix of Indian, Indo-Caribbean, and Creole heritage that makes Caribbean-influenced Costa Rican cricket unique. They last played internationally in Panama (2025 CACC edition) about a year ago. The gap in competitive cricket is showing.
Costa Rica’s M3 collapse: Being bowled out for 64 and seeing Brazil win with 10 wickets tells the complete story. Their batting against quality medium-pace bowling (Brazil’s Luis Morais was POTM) was woefully inadequate. Only one batter reached double figures.
Key Costa Rica players:
- Sachin Ravikumar (Captain) — Costa Rica’s most experienced player. His captaincy decisions and personal batting have to improve dramatically for CRC to be competitive
- Pushkaraj Naringrekar — One of Costa Rica’s technically more capable batters. His individual score needs to anchor the innings
- Joel Cutinho — Part of the Indo-Goan community in Costa Rica; a batting option who needs to build a partnership with Ravikumar to give the total any legitimacy
Brazil — Team Analysis
Captain: Information from M3 suggests Brazil’s captain is an experienced player who made tactically sound decisions (fielding first after winning the toss in M1, letting Luis Morais bowl in M3)
M3 Player of the Match — Luis Morais: Costa Rica were bowled out for 64 (their entire 64 runs — the lowest total of the CACC 2026). Morais then opened the batting in the run chase and was involved in the 10-wicket partnership that sealed victory in just 6.1 overs.
Brazil’s cricket background: Brazil’s cricket is concentrated primarily in São Paulo state, with the program driven by communities of Japanese-Brazilian descent — the legacy of the large Japanese immigrant community that arrived in Brazil’s interior from the early 20th century.
The São Paulo interior has long had a cricket culture unknown to most outside Brazil. Brazil also has members from the Indo-Caribbean community and a small number of players from European expatriate backgrounds.
Their primary goal for this CACC is preparing for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Sub-regional Qualifier A in Bermuda — this tournament in Mexico is crucial preparation for that pathway event.
Brazil’s M3 bowling was extraordinary: Bowling out Costa Rica for 64 — the lowest score of this CACC — and then chasing in 6.1 overs demonstrated genuine quality that went unseen in their M1 loss to Mexico. Mexico might have simply been too strong on the day.
Key Brazil players:
- Luis Morais (POTM M3) — The standout Brazilian player of this CACC so far. His medium-pace bowling creates genuine difficulties for Costa Rica’s batting. His ability to both bat and bowl makes him Brazil’s most valuable player
- Brazil’s Openers (M3): The pair who scored 66/0 in 6.1 overs to complete the chase showed excellent opening partnership chemistry. Whoever opened the batting in M3 will be crucial again in M5
The T20 World Cup Context — Why This Matters
Both Brazil and Costa Rica have eyes on the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Sub-regional Qualifier A in Bermuda (June 2026). This 2026 CACC is:
- A crucial competitive tune-up for both sides.
- An opportunity to assess squad combinations before Bermuda.
- An ICC-monitored event that affects Associate rankings and development pathways.
For Brazil, a confident 2nd-place finish in this CACC (if they beat Costa Rica today and tomorrow’s match is between Mexico and Costa Rica) strengthens their case for resources and support heading into Bermuda. For Costa Rica, any win — even a consolation — builds morale and gives their players badly needed international experience.
Venue — Reforma Athletic Club, Naucalpan
The Reforma Athletic Club is one of Mexico’s oldest and most storied sporting institutions:
- Established by British expatriates in 1894 — originally a football and polo club, cricket was introduced by British and Irish workers during Mexico’s railway construction boom of the late 19th century.
- Located in Naucalpan, Estado de México — about 15 km north of Mexico City’s centre.
- Altitude: approximately 2,250 metres above sea level — this significantly impacts cricket:
- Ball travels further — the thin air means ball carries well past what fielders expect
- Bounce is livelier — hard ground + thin air = sharp carry off the pitch
- Spinners find less dip and drift (thinner air = ball doesn’t break as dramatically)
- Pace bowlers who hit the deck get sharper, quicker response
- Low-scoring context: At 2,250m altitude, the ball moves faster through the air. Good fast bowling is more dangerous. Costa Rica’s 64 was genuinely low but partly reflects the difficulty of batting against Brazil’s pace at altitude.
Match Analysis — Costa Rica vs Brazil
Brazil is the heavy favourite. The form from M3 (bowling out CRC for 64 in 19.2 overs, chasing 66 in 6.1 overs) is comprehensive evidence of the quality gap. However, Match 5 is a rematch — and cricket at this associate level can surprise.
Costa Rica’s must-do list to be competitive:
- Post above 80 runs — they scored 64 in M3. Reaching 80+ would be progress
- Sachin Ravikumar and Pushkaraj Naringrekar must build a 30+ partnership
- Avoid losing their top 3 wickets inside the first 5 overs
- Bowl consistently in the powerplay if Brazil bat first — deny Brazil’s openers an easy run-chase like M3’s 66/0 in 6.1
Brazil’s strategy: Brazil will play to their strength: Luis Morais (bowling) + their powerful opening partnership (batting). If Brazil bat first, they can set a total that their pace bowling can defend. If Costa Rica bats first, Brazil’s bowling — already proven to bowl CRC out for 64 — will be very confident.
Head-to-Head (This Series)
- M3 (April 3): Brazil won by 10 wickets — CRC 64/10, BRA 66/0 in 6.1 overs. POTM: Luis Morais
This is the first-ever CACC meeting between these two nations (their bilateral head-to-head is essentially from this tournament onwards).
Predicted Winner: Brazil (75%)
The quality gap demonstrated in M3 is wide. Brazil’s bowling attack — specifically Morais — and their explosive opening partnership are too much for Costa Rica’s current form.
However, Costa Rica’s players will be motivated to repair their reputation after the 64-all-out embarrassment, and that motivation can generate improved batting performance.
Fantasy Tips — CRC vs BRA
Captain: Luis Morais (BRA) — POTM M3, bowls AND bats at the top. A dual contribution player in a T20 = maximum fantasy ceiling. Vice-Captain: Brazil’s opener (whichever player scored in the M3 10-wicket chase) — consistent opening contribution. Differential: Sachin Ravikumar (CRC) — As Costa Rica’s captain and most experienced batter, he will likely contribute their highest individual score in M5
Suggested Team (6 Brazil, 5 Costa Rica): Focus heavily on Brazil players, with Costa Rica’s captain and their best bowler as the two-way representatives.
Broadcast: ICC Digital platforms | ESPNcricinfo live scorecard | Limited streaming. Important for ICC Americas cricket development pathway.
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