World Cup Qualifier schedule announced

DUBAI: The West Indies, two-time world champions, will be the star attraction when 10 sides gather in Zimbabwe from March 4 to 25 for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 to fight for the two remaining places in the World Cup 2019.

The announcement marks 500 days to the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over tournament, which will be staged in the UK from May 30 to July 15.The venues are Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, Harare Sports Club and Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare, and Kwekwe Sports Club, Kwekwe.

The final will be played at Harare Sports Club.The West Indies, along with Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe, had missed out on automatic qualification, finishing outside the top eight on the ICC ODI Team Rankings on September 30, 2017, the cut-off date.

These four sides have been joined by Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Scotland and Papua New Guinea, who finished in the top four of the ICC World Cricket League Championship.The remaining two sides for the Zimbabwe tournament will be confirmed in Namibia from February 8-15 when Canada, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Oman and the United Arab Emirates will fight it out in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2, with the finalists getting a step closer to cherishing their dreams of playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup.

The 10 teams taking part in the Qualifier are split into two groups. The West Indies, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and the winners of the Division 2 make up Group A. Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and the runners-up of Division 2 constitute Group B.