adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE cricket team captain Brendan Taylor has described the draw for the 2015 World Cup as tough after they were grouped with holders India and neighbours South Africa. The Zimbabweans were placed in group B alongside South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Ireland, India and another team to be determined through the qualifiers, according to a draw conducted in Australia yesterday.
Andy Waller’s men, who are currently involved in a five-match One Day International series with world champions India, will open their campaign against the Proteas and then face the likes of Pakistan and West Indies during the jamboree before winding up their campaign in the group stages against the prospering Indians.
Zimbabwe captain Taylor yesterday said they would need to work hard on their game between now and January 2015 to improve their game following their disappointing series defeat against India which they trail 3-0.
“It’s a very tough group but it’s still a long way to go. We should not worry much about that at the moment since we need to concentrate on the upcoming tours before the tournament and improving our game.
“There are no easy games at the World Cup and hopefully by 2015 we will be an improved side,” said Taylor.
India are the defending champions while Zimbabwe’s other opponents, Pakistan, won the tournament when it was last staged in Australia and New Zealand in 1992.
The Zimbabweans will play the Proteas in Hamilton, New Zealand, on February 15, 2015 and then finish the pool matches against India on March 19 in Auckland.
The Cricket World Cup, held every four years to decide the sport’s ODI championship, will be hosted in Australia and New Zealand between February 14 and March 29, 2015.
The 14-team tournament will bring together the 10 Test-playing countries that include Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe and four qualifiers.
According to the draw conducted in Australia yesterday, the teams were grouped into two groups of seven with the top four sides from each pool set to progress to the quarter-finals, followed by the two semi-finals and the final.
Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand headline Pool A which also has England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other two qualifiers yet to be determined.
Ireland became the first Affiliate side to qualify for the World Cup from the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Championship while chances are still bright for Scotland, Netherlands and Afghanistan to pull through directly.
The remaining six unsuccessful sides from the ICC World Cricket League Championship will battle it out alongside lightweights Hong Kong, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Uganda at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2014 to be staged in New Zealand next year.
India are the defending champions, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2011 final. India’s win at Mumbai marked the first time in 10 tournaments that a country clinched the title on home soil.
Sri Lanka had come closest when they won the 1996 title in a tournament it co-hosted with India and Pakistan, though the final was at Lahore, Pakistan.
England have hosted the tournament four times, but England has never won the World Cup despite making the final three times.
After losing the 1979 final to West Indies, it lost to Australia in India in 1987 and the 1992 final to Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
South Africa, which co-hosted the tournament with Zimbabwe and Kenya in 2003, has never played in a tournament decider.
ICC chief executive, David Richardson, said they were hoping for a successful tournament as the World Cup will be marking its 40th anniversary since the first World Cup was played in 1975.
“The ICC Cricket World Cup is the flagship tournament of the 50-over game. The 2015 tournament will mark 40 years since the first World Cup in 1975 and that history of great contests and heroes helps make the tournament what it is — the most sought after prize in our increasingly global game.
“The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will be returning to Australia and New Zealand after 23 years and will be staged at the back of two outstanding 50-over ICC events — the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013.
“I’m absolutely confident that the success of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will further strengthen the status of 50-over cricket as a successful and viable format alongside Tests and Twenty20 Internationals,” said Richardson.
Zimbabwe’s 2015 World Cup Fixtures
Pool B
South Africa v Zimbabwe (15 Feb, Hamilton), Zimbabwe v Qualifier 4 (19 Feb, Nelson), West Indies v Zimbabwe (24 Feb, Canberra), Pakistan v Zimbabwe (1 Mar, Brisbane), Zimbabwe v Ireland (7 Mar, Hobart), India v Zimbabwe (14 Mar, Auckland)
Pool A
England, Australia (co-host), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand (co-host), Qualifier 2 (TBD), Qualifier 3 (TBD)
Knockout stages
Quarter-final 1 (Mar 18, Sydney), Quarter-final 2 (Mar 19, Melbourne), Quarter-final 3 (Mar 20, Adelaide), Quarter-final 4 (Mar 21, Wellington), Semi-final 1 (Mar 24, Auckland), Semi-final 2 (Mar 26, Sydney), Final (Mar 29, Melbourne).
Online Reporter