Bermuda will be looking to start their President Cup T20 tournament campaign on the front foot in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.

The senior national cricket team will face Rebels Cricket Club at Wesley Cricket Stadiium in their opening group B match at the tournament, which they are using as preparation for the upcoming 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier in Argentina.

Bermuda will also play two matches on Saturday, when they take on Triad Dragons at 11am Bermuda time and Tampa Tigers at 7pm. All matches will be screened live on MaqTv YouTube Channel.

Should Bermuda pick up enough points to qualify for the knockout stages they will be replaced by the team below them in the group as the squad is scheduled to fly to Argentina during the latter stages of the competition.

The 14-man squad in Florida is being led for the first time by new captain Delray Rawlins, 25, who has taken over the reins from fellow all-rounder Kamau Leverock. He captained the island at the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B in Uganda and Jersey last year.

Assistant national coach Cal Waldron will be taking charge of the team in the absence of head coach Niraj Odedra, who has guided Saurashtra to the final of the prestigious Ranji Trophy in India.

Their four-day match against Bengal will finish on Saturday and Odedra will then face a race against time to meet the in Argentina before the Americas Qualifiers begin on February 25.

There had been uncertainty surrounding Odedra’s arrival for that competition with delays in issuing a visa but approval was granted last week and he is expected to be in charge for Bermuda’s first qualification match for the World Cup.

Bermuda will take on Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Panama and hosts Argentina, with the top three teams joining Canada for the Americas Region Qualifier Finals in Bermuda in September.

The winner of that will clinch the last World Cup qualifying spot in the region.