Dubai: Ten teams will take part in the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9, the ICC announced Tuesday.
Each match will be high stakes, with teams contesting for two places at the World Cup in India in October-November.
The 10 teams taking part in the qualifier are split into two groups of five teams. Hosts Zimbabwe, the West Indies, the Netherlands, Nepal and the United States make up Group A, while Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman and the United Arab Emirates form Group B.
Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from each group progressing to the Super Six stage. In the Super Six, they will play the sides they did not meet in the group stage.
All points won in the group stage will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the teams that fail to make it to the Super Six stage. The finalists will both progress to the World Cup 2023.
Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare will share 34 matches between them, with Harare Sports Club staging the final July 9. Old Hararians Cricket Club will also host warm-up fixtures.
Hosts Zimbabwe will feature on the opening matchday at Harare Sports Club against Nepal, who are aiming to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Two-time champions West Indies will also be in action on June 18 against neighbours USA at Takashinga Cricket Club.
Group B commences June 19 in Bulawayo with 1996 World Cup champions Sri Lanka facing the UAE at Queen’s Sports Club, while in the other match at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Ireland will face off against Oman.
The Netherlands will open their campaign against Zimbabwe June 20 at Harare Sports Club, while Scotland face rivals Ireland in Bulawayo June 21 at Queens Sports Club. The Super Six stage will commence June 29, while the bottom two teams from each group will compete in the Playoff.
For the first time in this tournament, DRS will be used for all matches from the Super Six stage onwards.
The Qualifier is the culmination of four years of hard-fought competition that brings together the bottom five teams from the ICC Men’s CWC Super League, three automatic qualifiers from the ICC Men’s CWC League 2 and two teams who gained entry from the ICC Men’s CWC Qualifier Play-off.
PTI