Places secured for the Cricket World Cup: India qualified as tournament hosts, along with New Zealand, England, Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
India is currently atop the Super League standings with 139 points from 21 games.After a strong Super League start, they play Afghanistan in a final series to finish the tournament. The Afghans will be relieved to know that they are guaranteed a spot in the World Cup. Their campaign began with sweeps of Ireland, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe, and their 115 points cannot be surpassed by the chasing pack.
Curiously, Bangladesh, Pakistan, New Zealand, Australia, England, and Pakistan have all won 12 of their 18 matches thus far and can concentrate on the global tournament next year with their spots secured.
Still looking for a way to automatically qualify: West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and South Africa
There is only one spot left for Super League automatic qualification, and a quartet of teams are anxiously awaiting favorable outcomes in the competition’s final stages.
Despite having completed their nine-win, 24-match winning streak, the West Indies are currently in the eighth and final automatic spot (88 points) and must observe how the competition plays out without them. Two points were deducted from their total in August for slow over rates against New Zealand, making it easier for the chasing pack to catch up.
In contrast, Ireland (68 points) and Sri Lanka (77 points) still have three games remaining in their bid to surpass the West Indies. West Indies would be forced to go through the World Cup Qualifier if either Sri Lanka or Ireland beat Bangladesh to finish their season in New Zealand in March. If either of these teams beat them to the top of the standings, West Indies would be eliminated from the tournament.
In contrast, South Africa (59 points) has three games against England
a 30 point sweep would also elevate them above the West Indies. In March 2023, they also play two one-day internationals against the Netherlands, part of a series that was postponed in November 2021 due to Covid.
The Cricket World Cup Qualifier will be held in Zimbabwe, where they will compete against teams from the lower tiers.
To the Cricket World Cup Qualifying Match: Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, Scotland Even after their historic victory in Australia in August, Zimbabwe’s poor Super League start made it impossible for them to earn an automatic spot, and their fate in the subsequent Qualifier pathway was already set. The fact that the Chevrons will be hosting the Qualifier means that they should have an advantage over their opponents.
The Netherlands, the competition’s only Associate Member, will compete for spots in Zimbabwe despite positive performances and taking the game to more anticipated opponents in a difficult Super League field. Scotland, their longtime rivals, will face them. Scotland has secured their spot in the Qualifier by finishing in the top three of League 2.
Over the course of the three-year cycle, Richie Berrington’s team has consistently performed well in League 2 and will not be taken lightly at the Qualifier.
In the race to secure a guaranteed spot at the Qualifier:
Oman, Namibia, UAE, Nepal The twisting League 2 cycle has left some teams with a lot of games in hand. Oman, on the other hand, is already in the clubhouse watching the other teams in their group play out the rest of the tournament.
Zeeshan Maqsood’s side completed on 44 focuses (21 successes, one tie, one no-result) after their 36 matches, a count that ought to be sufficient to take a Qualifier spot. Having said that, the men of the sultanate will be keeping a close eye on the situation because Namibia and the United Arab Emirates—the two sides that have the potential to overtake them—will never meet again and will therefore not eat away at each other’s points.
UAE would need an unlikely nine wins from their last ten matches to surpass their neighbors, while Namibia would need four wins in their final six matches to pass Oman.
UAE may require assistance from Nepal and Scotland, Namibia’s opponents in the competition’s final tri-series, in order to finish in the top three.
Those teams in League 2 who finish in the bottom four are still eligible for World Cup qualification, but they must compete in a Qualifier Play-Off, which is essentially a replay tournament.
The Qualifying Play-Off is next
Jersey, Canada, USA, and Papua New Guinea After winning 36 of their 36 League 2 games, the USA now travel to the Qualifier Play-Off, a six-team competition in which the bottom four League 2 teams compete against the winners of each Challenge League group. Two places in the Qualifier are up for grabs from there.
Papua New Guinea’s 2021 celebration of T20 World Cup qualification was marred by inconsistent ODI cricket results, a turbulent League 2 campaign in which they were aware of their Play-Off fate early on.
Jersey and Canada, winners of their respective Challenge League groups, will advance to the Qualifier Play-Off.
After unfortunate placement in the third tier at the beginning of the World Cup cycle, Canada’s campaign was dominating, with only one defeat coming in September 2019, Jersey, on the other hand, came late and won four out of five matches in the last leg to surpass Uganda in terms of Net Run Rate.
Even in matches featuring Challenge League teams that have not held ODI status prior to 2023, all Play-Off matches will have ODI status.The final places will also determine each team’s ODI status and League 2 and Challenge League spots for the following cycle.