Ireland's cricketers have been handed a boost ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers with the news that they have avoided three of the stronger teams in the tournament which runs from November 15-30 in the UAE.

Top seeds Ireland have been drawn with Namibia, Canada, Uganda, United States, UAE, Hong Kong and Italy who won the European qualifying event over the weekend in pool A at November's tournament.

In the other pool are Afghanistan, the Netherlands, Scotland, Kenya, Bermuda, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Denmark, who were the runners-up from the European qualifiers.

Ireland are the defending champions having beaten Afghanistan in a thrilling encounter last year.