The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the groups and schedule for the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will be conducted in Zimbabwe beginning June 18.
A ten-team competition divided into two groups of five, with the top three from each side of the draw advancing to the Super Six stage. Then, teams play opponents from the other group, with points earned against other Super Six teams from their initial group carrying over. The top two teams will earn the remaining two berths in India’s ten-team tournament and compete in a Qualifier final for bragging rights.
On paper, Group A appears to be the more difficult of the two groups, with Nepal, the fourth-seeded team in the five, drawn alongside the West Indies, Netherlands, USA, and the hosts.
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Sri Lanka is the heavy favourites in Group B, where they will face Ireland, a team they did not encounter in the just-finished Cricket World Cup Super League. Scotland and Oman are in Group B thanks to their top-three finishes in League 2, while UAE qualified for the tournament through the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Namibia earlier this year.
Only the West Indies and Scotland have made their squads public, with Richie Berrington’s side missing key players due to County Cricket commitments, including Michael Jones, Josh Davey, and Brad Wheal. The West Indies have notably left out Shimron Hetmyer from their team, while it is anticipated that the Netherlands will also be missing a number of players due to domestic cricket in the United Kingdom. Bas de Leede from Durham will be available
Throughout the event, matches at the Harare Sports Club and the Queens Sports Club will be televised, with matches at Takashinga Cricket Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club covered via ICC.tv streams.
Contrary to early media reports, DRS will be used during the competition, but only from the Super Six stage onward.
Groups for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier
Group A: West Indies, Zimbabwe, Netherlands, Nepal, USA
Group B: Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman, UAE
Fixtures
Sunday, 18 June
Zimbabwe v Nepal, Harare Sports Club
West Indies v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 19 June
Sri Lanka v UAE, Queen’s Sports Club
Ireland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Tuesday, 20 June
Zimbabwe v Netherlands, Harare Sports Club
Nepal v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 21 June
Ireland v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club
Oman v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 22 June
West Indies v Nepal, Harare Sports Club
Netherlands v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 23 June
Sri Lanka v Oman, Queen’s Sports Club
Scotland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Saturday, 24 June
Zimbabwe v West Indies, Harare Sports Club
Netherlands v Nepal, Takashinga Cricket Club
Sunday, 25 June
Sri Lanka v Ireland, Queen’s Sports Club
Scotland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Monday, 26 June
Zimbabwe v USA, Harare Sports Club
West Indies v Netherlands, Takashinga Cricket Club
Tuesday, 27 June
Sri Lanka v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club
Ireland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 29 June
Super 6: A2 v B2, Queen’s Sports Club
Friday, 30 June
Super 6: A3 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: A5 v B4, Takashinga Cricket Club
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Saturday, 1 July
Super 6: A1 v B3, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 2 July
Super 6: A2 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: A4 v B5, Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 3 July
Super 6: A3 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Tuesday, 4 July
Super 6: A2 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: 7th v 8th Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 5 July
Super Six: A1 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Thursday, 6 July
Super Six: A3 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club
Playoff: 9th v 10th Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 07 July
Super Six: A1 v B1, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 09 July
Final, Harare Sports Club
Warm-up fixtures
Tuesday, 13 June
West Indies v Scotland, Harare Sports Club
Zimbabwe v Oman, Takashinga Cricket Club
Nepal v UAE, Old Hararians Cricket Club
Sri Lanka v Netherlands, Queen’s Sports Club
Ireland v USA, Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 15 June
Nepal v Oman, Harare Sports Club
West Indies v UAE, Takashinga Cricket Club
Zimbabwe v Scotland, Old Hararians Cricket Club
Ireland v Netherlands, Queen’s Sports Club
Sri Lanka v USA, Bulawayo Athletic Club
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