Vanuatu coach Peter Wooden admits the impending shake-up to the World Cricket League format puts extra pressure on all the teams competing in Botswana this month to do well.
The Melanesian side qualified after the World Cricket League 7 tournament after winning the Division 8 tournament in Samoa last year.
The top two teams will earn promotion to Division 6, while the others will stay in limbo until the ICC reveals how it plans to restructure the development leagues.
Peter Wooden says there's a lot riding on this tournament for everyone.
"I think all teams are pretty much in the same boat. We just have to keep climbing the ladder so to speak - the World Cricket Leagues - until we get a clear direction and path but the ICC have sort of assured us that they'll have that pathway before the end of the year so all we can sort of do is focus on this tournament and do the best we can."
Vanuatu's first match is against Germany later today.
