ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier

USA To Face West Indies In World Cup Qualifier Opener

News May 23, 2023 admin

The schedule for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier has been released, following the confirmation of the 10 teams that will feature at the event hosted in Zimbabwe from 18 June – 9 July 2023.

Each match will be high stakes, with teams contesting for two places at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India that gives them nine guaranteed matches at cricket’s ODI global showpiece.

icc qualifier

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 ICC Men’s Cricket 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 on 9 July. 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 Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time. Two-time Men’s Cricket World Cup champions West Indies will also be in action on 18 June against neighbors USA at Takashinga Cricket Club.

Group B commences on 19 June 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 on 20 June at Harare Sports Club, while Scotland face rivals Ireland in Bulawayo on 21 June at Queens Sports Club. The Super Six stage will commence on 29 June, 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.

usa cricket team
USA team celebrates during their win over Namibia. File photo courtesy of ICC

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.

ICC MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFIER FIXTURES
(All matches start at 09h00 local time)
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

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