Sri Lanka have confirmed their place at the Cricket World Cup with a win over Zimbabwe, to leave three teams competing for the last remaining spot at the showpiece event in India later this year.
The 1996 Cricket World Cup champions Sri Lanka booked their spot at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 with an emphatic win over Zimbabwe, as they extended their unbeaten run at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and moved to eight points on the Super Six standings.
The defeat was Zimbabwe’s first at the tournament and leaves the hosts sitting in second place with six points from the Super Six stage ahead of a crunch clash with Scotland.
Zimbabwe still have their qualification hopes in their own hands but two teams in the chasing pack can continue to dream of snatching a crucial top-two finish at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Only the top two teams at the end of the Super Six stage will qualify for the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
West Indies will not be among those qualifiers, after the two-time Cricket World Cup champions carried zero points into the Super Six stage then crashed out with a crushing defeat to Scotland.
Here is what each team needs to do to qualify for the Cricket World Cup:
. Sri Lanka – QUALIFIED
Super Six played: 4
Super Six won: 4 (Oman, Scotland, Netherlands, Zimbabwe)
Super Six points: 8
Net run-rate: +1.817
Still to play: West Indies (7 July)
Sri Lanka have been in ominous form throughout the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, limiting each of their opponents so far to totals under 200 runs during their unbeaten run.
Even the clash with the previously undefeated Zimbabwe proved to be a one-sided affair as Sri Lanka cruised to an easy nine-wicket triumph.
This win ensures that Sri Lanka will remain among the top two sides in the Super Six stage, and therefore qualify for the showpiece event in India.
2. Zimbabwe
Super Six played: 4
Super Six won: 3 (Netherlands, West Indies, Oman)
Super Six points: 6
Net run-rate: +0.030
Still to play: Scotland (4 July)
The hosts kicked off the Super Six stage as the tournament pacesetters alongside Sri Lanka, with the teams sharing identical win-loss records until their high-stakes clash.
The loss to Sri Lanka could prove to be costly but the Chevrons still have their fate in their own hands, as victory in their last match against Scotland would confirm their spot at the Cricket World Cup 2023.
If Zimbabwe were to slump to a second consecutive defeat they would be in grave danger of handing a Cricket World Cup spot to Scotland or Netherlands outfits currently sitting below them in the standings.
But with a formidable batting line-up powering their success on home soil, Zimbabwe can remain confident of getting the win that would ensure they appear in a Cricket World Cup for the 10th time after missing out in 2019.
Likelihood of qualification: Good
3. Scotland
Super Six played: 3
Super Six won: 2 (Oman, West Indies)
Super Six points: 4
Net run-rate: +0.188
Still to play: Zimbabwe (4 July), Netherlands (6 July)
Scotland gave their qualification hopes a huge boost with a commanding victory over the West Indies, while effectively knocking out the two-time Cricket World Cup champions at the same time.
But Scotland will need to win both of their remaining fixtures to be sure of qualifying for the Cricket World Cup in India.
A loss to the rampant Sri Lanka in the group stage might have proved costly for Scotland, but it is the Asian side’s win over Zimbabwe which has now reignited their hopes.
That result puts Scotland’s qualification hopes in their own hands. A victory over tournament hosts Zimbabwe would put the two teams level on points, while Scotland currently have a better net run-rate and the advantage of another game to come in the Super Six stage.
Likelihood of qualification: Good
4. Netherlands
Super Six played: 3
Super Six won: 1 (West Indies)
Super Six points: 2
Net run-rate: -0.560
Still to play: Oman (3 July), Scotland (6 July)
Netherlands surged into the Super Six stage with a stirring Super Over victory over the West Indies, and also gave both Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka a scare with some brilliant batting.
Those honourable losses to the tournament standouts still look set to cost Netherlands dearly, as even a pair of victories in their remaining Super Six matches is unlikely to lift them into a top-two spot.
There is still hope for Netherlands but they would need to win both of their remaining matches by significant margins to boost their lowly net run-rate, and for Scotland to defeat Zimbabwe in their upcoming clash.
But the Netherlands have already shown at this Cricket World Cup Qualifier that it would be foolhardy to write them off too early.
Likelihood of qualification: Low
Source: icc-cricket.com
