The ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers are set to kick off, with teams competing for two spots in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. The tournament will begin with matches between Zimbabwe and Nepal and West Indies and the USA from Zimbabwe. The 10 teams’ captains have expressed their confidence in their teams’ performance. The captains of the former champions, Sri Lanka and West Indies, Dasun Shanaka and Shai Hope, respectively, have confirmed that their teams have done well in the preparation stage and are ready to perform well. Zimbabwean Captain Craig Ervine has praised his team’s players and their skills. Irish Captain Andrew Balbirnie has pointed out the cutthroat competition, stating that his team needs to be at its best. Nepalese Captain Rohit Paudel said that his team has been working hard for the past two years, and they want to use the opportunity to the fullest.
According to West Indies Captain Shai Hope, his team has a number of impact players, making it capable of winning games at any stage of the tournament. The squad has undergone enough training and is focused on mindset and consistent execution. Captains of other teams have also expressed their teams’ strengths, youthfulness, and potential.
The teams have played two warm-up matches each, with West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka, winning both games. The teams’ top three in each group will advance to the Super Six stage, with the two bottom sides in each group playing off for the seventh to 10th places. In the Super Six stage, teams will play three qualifiers from the other group, with two results carrying forward from their group stage. This is the first time the Decision Review System (DRS) will be used for all matches from the Super Six stage onwards. The two top teams in the Super Six stage will qualify for the Cricket World Cup 2023 and play-off for the Qualifiers championship in the final on July 9.
The 10 captains recently came together for a photo shoot at the Wild is Life Sanctuary, Zimbabwe, showcasing the country’s local wildlife and the sanctuary’s efforts to rehabilitate rescued animal orphans back into the wild. Zimbabwe will play Nepal in the opening match at Harare Sports Club on June 18, followed by the United States facing West Indies at Takashinga.
