The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday (December 16) confirmed Zimbabwe as hosts for the main qualifier of the 2023 World Cup in India. The tournament will be held from 18th June to 9th July 2023, according to a rejigged schedule announced for the World Cup qualification pathway after COVID-19 disruption.
India, the hosts of the next quadrennial event, and other top 7 sides at the 13-team ICC ODI Super League will make the World Cup directly, while the bottom five will have to pass the qualifier hurdle along with top 5 associates to fetch the available two spots at the tournament proper in October-November.
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"When we rescheduled the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to October and November 2023 it enabled us to extend the window for qualification events to take place and thereby ensure we maximise the opportunity for qualification to be decided on the field of play," ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said in a statement.
"We have worked very closely with Members and stakeholders to reschedule 96 ODIs and 60 List-A matches and will continue to maintain the safety of participants in our events as our highest priority," he added.
The ICC also confirmed the itinerary for the World Cup League 2 as well as the Challenge Leagues, which both play a crucial role in the pathway.
World Cup League 2 ODIs will resume on March 19 next year with Oman playing host to USA and Nepal in a sixth tri-series of the seven-team competition.
“There will be 96 ODIs played across the 14 series that are scheduled to be played in 2021 and 2022 respectively and the remaining two in early 2023,” the ICC said.
Canada will host Denmark, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Vanuatu across in Cricket World Cup Challenge League A scheduled from 15th to 28th August 2021.
The Cricket World Cup Challenge League B sees Jersey hosting Bermuda, Hong Kong, Italy, Kenya and Uganda from September 1st to 14th, 2021.
"The final Challenge League B event has been scheduled for February 2022 and A for September 2022, with 60 List-A matches due to be played," the governing body confirmed.
The two leagues will run simultaneously with the Super League.
"After the 21 tri-series in League 2 have been completed the top three teams will confirm their place in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023," the ICC explained.
"The bottom four teams will drop into the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-Off 2023 — which is a repechage event to the Global Qualifier — and will be joined by the winner of Challenge League A and B."
"The top two teams from the Play-Off — which has also been rescheduled to 2023 — will keep their hopes alive of participating in India 2023, by qualifying for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023."
(Inputs from PTI)
