Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo
SATURDAY marked 50 days left to go until the commencement of the 2023 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Qualifiers which will be hosted in Zimbabwe.
The event which will be used to decide the two remaining spots for the World Cup in India later in the year. The event is scheduled to be held from 18 June to 9 July 2023 in Harare and Bulawayo.
A total of 10 teams are expected to take part in the event.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) promised another memorable tournament after hosting the last edition of the qualifiers in 2018.
The teams coming for the tournament will include the five bottom teams in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League table, the top three teams from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 and the top two teams from the 2023 World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
Only one spot is remaining for the tournament after the United States of America (USA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) booked their slots early last month to become the eighth and ninth teams.
The two nations managed to reach the Qualifier stage after emerging victorious in the World Cup Qualifier play-off that took place in Namibia. After their victories, only one team, coming from the ODI Super League, remains to make it 10 nations.
South Africa or Ireland will be coming to Zimbabwe to make it 10 teams as the two countries are still in contention for direct qualification. However, Ireland, who have a home series against Bangladesh next week will have to whitewash the Tigers to have a chance of direct contention.
The Proteas sit in eighth place and should Ireland win all three, they would be level with South Africa on 98 points, in which case net run rate would serve as the tiebreaker to decide which team clinches an automatic berth to the 2023 World Cup and which team falls back into the Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
With the event just over a month away, excitement has already started building up. – Follow on Twitter @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter